One Last Time
by what-if-joana
Summary: Post Mockingjay. Neither Haymitch nor Effie were ready for the change that was approaching them. They had settled down after the war and were sort of happy but the games were about to strike back one last time. - This story is about them dealing with the last Hunger Games and contains a little angst, a little fluff, and hayffie-kids.
1. Sunday

Hey everyone (: since the hayffie-fandom had brought me a lot of joy over time, I thought it's time to give something back. So, here's my little story that has been stuck in my head since Mockingjay Part 2 came out. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to leave any of your thoughts.

 **First Chapter: Sundays**

Life after the war and the rebellion turned out fine. It was unexpected but still good. Life got quieter, but nevertheless exciting sometimes. It was the little things now, which got the blood rushing through the veins faster. There were no life-threatening situations anymore and no one in Panem would want to change that.

Not even Haymitch; even though 10 years ago, he would have considered it ridiculous to see himself taking an afternoon-rest with Effie next to him. She was reading a story to their daughter. Nevertheless, this was happening at the moment and Haymitch couldn't have enjoyed this ordinary situation more. Plotting over how to take down the Capitol wasn't half as fun as it sounded.

Haymitch was lying in bed on his side. His eyes were closed so he could pretend he was sleeping and not listening to Effie's voice reading the Rainbow-fish aloud again. Poppy couldn't get enough of the story; she couldn't get enough of the Rainbow-fish sharing all his shiny scales.

Both of the girls were sitting on the bed. Haymitch's left arm was stretched over his daughter's feet and he let his hand rest on Effie's knee. Effie was holding the book in one hand and the other arm she had wrapped around her daughter. She held her close because she had always been an affectionate person. She enjoyed the cuddling, touching and hugging, especially on a Sunday, which she considered family time. Quality time with her family. Right now they were in the quiet part of the day, which she enjoyed the most. Sunday was her favourite day.

The door to the bedroom opened suddenly and interrupted the peaceful being of the three. Effie let the book fall to her lap and looked to the person in the door. She smirked, "So, you decided you're not too old for some reading with your Mum and sister?"

Daphne rolled her eyes, before she closed the door behind her, "Well, being alone is boring, so… what other choice did I have?"

Effie stretched her arm out so Daphne could sit next to her. She put a kiss on the top of her head. "You could read aloud to us if you want. I mean you could probably use the reading-practice."

"Mum, please.", Daphne sighed because she wouldn't want to combine the two things she didn't like doing.

"Your teacher said it's all about practice. Come on, honey, I read a sentence and then you. We will take turns.", Effie suggested.

Daphne sighed again. She regretted already coming upstairs. She regretted it even more when her sister started giggling, practically laughing at her because Poppy knew how badly the practice-reads in the past had gone.

Effie tried to save the situation and to give Daphne the safe space to practice without any comments from her little sister, who knew nothing yet about the difficulties of reading yet. "You will learn soon enough, my dear!", Effie warned Poppy, who went at the unusual sharp tone of her mother mute right away.

In return Daphne was now smiling at Poppy, "Yes, and then I will remind you about this very incident. So no laughing."

Poppy nodded and snuggled closer to her mother since the book was now in Daphne's hands. She started reading and Effie was encouraging her along to read more. It was getting better and more fluent. They didn't take turns as Effie had suggested, because Daphne was too stubborn to admit any weakness and reread most sentences. Effie helped if any insecurity approached.

Haymitch couldn't have asked for more. He squeezed Effie's knee to let her know he was not asleep. In return, she turned in his direction. She wanted to place a kiss to his forehead in return but couldn't reach him. Instead, she pressed a kiss on Poppy's head while her left hand reached for Haymitch's head to run her fingers through his hair. It brought a smile to both of their faces and Effie pressed another kiss to Poppy's forehead.

"Mum, are you listening?", Daphne asked suddenly. While having a silent conversation with Haymitch, Effie had forgotten about the reading.

"Yes, go along, my dear. You're doing fine.", Effie brought her attention back to the reading and her left hand back to Poppy's shoulder. Sundays were definitely her favourite day. She wouldn't want to change a thing about it.

But change was about to approach her, when loud footsteps were heard in their house and an even louder bang reached her ears when the bedroom-door slammed against the wall. Effie got a fright because of that and held the girls closer. There were no other people in the house, so the person coming in was an unexpected guest.

These unexpected guests were Peeta and Katniss. Their visit was not ordinary, but usually, they would come in more peacefully. Now Katniss and Peeta were panting. Effie observed that Peeta's eyes were red as if he had cried before. Both seemed surprised by the sight of the four in bed reading even though they have seen it before. Several times actually, sometimes on a Sunday picnic and sometimes even Peeta would join them.

Haymitch had set up now too. He was annoyed with the rude behaviour of the two, who interrupted his afternoon-rest. Being annoyed with someone's behaviour was something he had learned from Effie over the years, while stopping the cursing was not one of the things he picked up from Effie, "What is wrong with the two of you for fuck's sake?"

"Haymitch, not in front of the girls!", Effie hissed. She had placed her hands over their ears, but they giggled nevertheless.

Haymitch groaned and brought his attention back to Katniss and Peeta. Katniss was stiff as a statue, not moving and avoiding any eye contact with him. She was staring at Peeta, who was shaking. His voice was too when he spoke, "You haven't seen it?"

"Seen what, boy?", Haymitch sighed, because he didn't know what he was talking about.

Katniss closed her eyes, while Peeta's mouth dropped open. He felt guilty for breaking the news to them, but it had to happen at some point. They all had to face the news sooner or later, "The announcement on TV?"

Haymitch groaned again, "Boy, you are not making any sense. What announcement?"

Peeta looked towards Effie and studied how she was holding the girls still close, protective even. She was right to do so. She brought her eyebrows up and looked questioningly at Peeta, who instead looked down on the floor. He didn't know how to say it, he stumbled at first: "About-…about the-… the games. They're- … They are back."

This Sunday would go down in history.


	2. Unfunny Games

Since yesterday's update was nothing but a short tease I decided to update again today. But unfortunately, this is also a little short and ends with a cliffhanger. Sorry, the next updates will make it up to you hopefully. Enjoy. (:

 **Second chapter: Unfunny games**

Peeta's words cut like a knife through the air. It cut through any movement or any reaction, which could be caused by news like this. It set all of the adults at least 10 years back in time. They were at a darker place then.

Effie gasped at first at the news and held her breath afterward. She grew stiff and had her hands still around her girls. The girls she would protect to the very end. She was sure about it.

At the same time, she was feeling her body wanting to fall apart. Her eyes produced more tears, which her brain told her to shed. She held them back as good as she could because she couldn't tear apart in front of the girls - it would terrify them.

Haymitch was as well speechless. He searched Peeta's eyes to make sure it was true what he was saying. He had to make sure that after all these years, it was going to happen. The last Hunger Games were about to happen. They had talked about it, but after Coin's death, it seemed to be no longer a topic. He thought it was off the table and thrown into a bin.

Nobody said anything. The silence in the room was odd and irritating to the girls. It was Daphne, who broke the silence by asking, "What games?"

Since there was still no response or movement from the adults, Poppy replied: "A game? What kind of game?"

"I don't know. They didn't tell." Daphne leaned towards her sister while raising her eyebrows.

"Do you think it's fun? Then we could play it.", Poppy was smiling already at the thought of learning about a new game, which was so exciting that it made it to the news.

"Yeah, we could participate in that game. Games are always fun.", Daphne shrugged.

"Absolutely. Can we play it? The game? Please?", Poppy looked up to her mother, who hadn't moved yet.

"Yes, can we? I really want to.", Daphne looked at her mother too and tugged at her arm, then she looked to her father over Poppy's head.

"Me too.", Poppy turned her head towards her father too. She smiled because she got excited about it.

The adults had needed the time to recover, in which Daphne and Poppy talked. They needed it to let the information to sink in, to process the idea of the games capturing their lives again and find a way to deal with the news.

Daphne and Poppy's last words and his daughter's excitement triggered old habits in Haymitch, so he raised his voice against them, "You play this game over my dead body!"

Again, there fell silence over the group of people, but this time out of an entirely different reason.

Daphne and Poppy were a little afraid of their father's sudden outburst and searched some comfort with their mother. As soon as Effie noticed Poppy was even shivering, she snapped out of her state and suggested: "Why don't you two get down and play a different game? Or play outside? It's still sunny." Effie's voice was weak, but she tried her best to steady it while speaking. It sounded soft enough to comfort her daughters. She squeezed them and brushed over both of her daughter's heads.

They nodded and stood up. As they passed Peeta he smiled at them and assured them: "It won't be long. We just have to discuss some news. It's boring for you. That's what you always tell me when I want to watch the news on TV."

Daphne smiled a little at this and left the room first.

Poppy on the other hand hesitated. She looked back to her father who still had a serious expression on his face.

Peeta bent down to Poppy, so he could speak on the same eye-level with her: "Don't worry, Poppy. Everything's fine."

"But, Daddy…", she sighed. The rest of the sentence got lost.

It broke Effie's heart to see her daughter scared. She wished she had the strength to comfort her or at least get Haymitch to apologise to her.

Peeta handled the situation well enough, though. He said, "It's just a really bad game and your Dad fought hard to get it banished. And now it's coming back. He's furious because the game is no fun and games should be fun. So… he made sure you only get to play fun games."

It was all true what he told her. It amazed Effie how harmless it sounded that way. How easily it could be explained to kid's ears that way. Peeta had a knack for kids. He would make a good father sometime if Katniss ever agreed to it.

"So, Daddy makes sure I don't get to play any unfunny games?", Poppy recapped what he had said. She wanted to make sure she understood correctly.

"Exactly. He protects you from playing unfunny games. And have you seen his face? He really is taking this seriously.", Peeta pointed towards Haymitch.

Poppy looked at Haymitch, smiled at him and understood him now, "You're the best, Daddy."

At these words Haymitch couldn't fight a smile even considering the situation they were about to face. It calmed Poppy down. She followed her sister downstairs and left the adults to their discussion of the news.

Peeta shut the door afterwards and the silence fell again over them. They processed the idea of the games being back. All in all, it was ridiculous.

Haymitch buried his face in his hands. He didn't want to face the possibility. It was nothing he would have expected to be affected by.

Effie was starting to shake her head in disbelief. She couldn't believe it either, "This can't be happening. The districts have suffered enough. 75 years and now they will do it again? I don't understand. How can they do this? I-…My girls!"

It hit her. If the games were back, then her girls were in danger. Before she could wrap her head around the idea, Peeta interrupted by saying, "They're not reaping from the districts."

"Pardon?", Effie didn't understand quite yet. Not reaping from the districts.

Peeta went mute again, it was too hard to say it out loud, so Haymitch did, "They're reaping from the Capitol, sweetheart."

"From the Capitol? No, no….", she looked to Peeta for confirmation. He nodded.

"No.. it- they can't do this. This is not how it was supposed to work in the new Panem!", she shook her head and fought the tears as well as she could, which was not good at all. The first tears had left her eyes already. Effie was facing a future in which it was districts versus the Capitol again, just the other way around, "I mean-", and then it hit her again, "You know how this works. I'm Capitol so they make my girls Capitol too. They get them either way." Finally, she burst into tears. She had held them back long enough.

Haymitch tensed at this thought. He forgot that technically his children were half-Capitol. If they wanted them to have in the games, they could make it happen. Easily. He would be affected by these stupid last Hunger Games not only be facing old memories, but going through fear of losing his daughters too.

Effie turned towards him and locked eyes instantly. In both of their eyes, they could see the fear. The fear that hadn't been here a day since they had their daughters because this was supposed to be a peaceful Panem now.

They both took deep breaths. They were unable to say anything. In the meantime, they had terrible thoughts running through their heads. But they didn't get far because Katniss washed them all away, "They are too young!"

That was indeed true because Daphne was 7 and Poppy 5, which meant that both were far away from the critical age of 12. Daphne and Poppy were safe.

In disbelief, Effie brought her hand up to her mouth. She formed a smile and wanted it to hide away with her hand. She was relieved. She brought both her hands afterward to Haymitch's right hand, which was resting on his lap. She wanted to share the happiness and the feeling of relief.

Haymitch was still tense, so Effie repeated, "Haymitch, they are too young!" She leaned closer so she could rest her forehead against his shoulder.

He turned towards Peeta, "It's only one game? Just once?" He needed to be sure that the original plan for the last Hunger Games hadn't been changed in the meantime.

Katniss froze again. It was only natural for the games to trigger too much in her. It all did to them.

Peeta hesitated to respond, but eventually nodded. It would only be one time. One last time.

Haymitch relaxed at once, but tightened his grip around Effie's hands. He smiled now too and took Effie with his other hand in an embrace. He was sure he and the others could overcome this one last game. No one had to be involved in it. It would pass by eventually. Facing the demons all together should be possible.

But it didn't pass by because Peeta spoke again, "They won't reap children this time."

Every smile and every relaxation, which Haymitch and the others felt seconds ago, were instantly gone.


	3. Details

So, here's another chapter, a littler longer, but not too long, let's just call it longish. You'll get to know a lot of the basics of these new games.

Thank you for every single favourite, follow and the comment - I really appreciate them. Just enjoy this chapter as much as the others and please let me know what you think. (:

 **Third chapter: Details**

Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch and Effie knew what Peeta implied by saying, they wouldn't reap from children this time. They knew it would be grown-ups they would reap for the next games and everyone in this room except for Effie knew one of them was sitting right with them.

Effie moved away from Haymitch, because she had to face the information on her own. "If they are not reaping children-", she didn't finish the thought with words and instead brought a hand to her breast. She tried to stop her heart skipping out of her and at the same time she was pointing to herself. She was a possible tribute. Her name was going to be in the pot like Katniss', Peeta's and Haymitch's once were. She started shivering; she was not prepared for this.

"I don't understand. They will reap from all Capitols?", Haymitch wanted all the information before making his mind up about the new games. It didn't make any sense to him yet.

"No, they won't reap from all Capitols", Peeta saw Effie getting her hopes up. She looked hopefully at him, but he had to crash her hope right away. False hope was the worst kind of hope. Peeta defined his answers while keeping it still vague. He didn't want to say it aloud, he didn't realise what was going to happen yet either, saying it out loud made it real, too real, "But from some Capitols."

"Spit it out! What does _some Capitols_ mean?", Haymitch was now standing up and approaching Peeta. They both knew that if Peeta didn't spit the truth out immediately that Haymitch would have him pressed against the wall and requesting the answer from him.

"Those some who were involved at some point.", Peeta was staying vague again. He couldn't say it out loud, it was too hurtful. And he knew Haymitch was smart enough to catch the hint.

"Involved in the games?", Haymitch clarified.

Peeta nodded and brought his attention back to Effie, who was crying again. Breathing was hard for her. She let herself fall down on the bed and buried her face in the blanket to mute her screams.

Haymitch didn't pay attention to Effie, instead, his gaze went grim and he was nearing Peeta again. Peeta felt like Haymitch was going to kill him, but he was nothing more than the messenger, you didn't kill the messenger and surely not when the messenger had more to say, "They changed it, Haymitch, they made it more human if you'd like to call it that. The tributes have to be at least 18 years old and a maximum of 50.",

"What?!", Haymitch bawled, "Are you telling me that most of the people involved will not be in?"

Peeta said nothing more. These games were not his decision, so he didn't need to justify them.

Haymitch went on with his rant, "Most of them are over 50 now. There can't be a lot of them left. I mean not enough for games."

"No, there aren't enough, so for those who are too old a relative has to go in, preferably the kids."

"The 20-somethings?"

"Yes."

Haymitch stepped away from Peeta and brought his hand up to his beard to go through it while thinking about it. He went through the room thinking and wrapped his head around the situation. He gathered more information from Peeta while doing so, "How many are there? What are the chances?".

The chances to lose Effie, to lose everything he fought hard for.

"Neither names nor exact numbers have been released yet. But it looks like there will be fewer women to reap from."

Haymitch studied Peeta while he spilled slowly the details. "So the chances are high.", he stated.

Peeta confirmed it, "Yes, it's likely."

That let Haymitch groan and he asked for different hard facts, "When? How long?"

"2 months."

"2 months?", Haymitch stopped abruptly and took a few moments to process this information. He ran his hand through his hair, exhaled deeply. and stated afterward silently, "This is not enough."

Peeta and he looked to Effie, who seemed calmer now. She was still taking deep breaths they could tell, but the screaming had stopped, which was a good sign.

Haymitch sat down on the edge of the bed. The mattress moved in this process, which made Effie look up. She saw Haymitch looking to her over his shoulder. He sighed and stretched his arm out to her. He offered her a hug that she needed desperately. She accepted the offer gratefully and crawled to his side. As soon as she was next to him she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She was getting closer and closer, almost sitting on Haymitch's lap.

The sobbing started again and when Haymitch put his other arm around her shoulder, she shifted to finally sit on his lap with her legs wrapped around him. Effie held Haymitch so close that breathing was hard for him too. He was not able to speak and tell her sweet little nothings, which wouldn't calm her down anyway.

Effie was clinging onto him, clinging to the life she knew, clinging onto life itself. She already felt her life slipping away from her, how she prepared already for her soon-to-be-death. She drew in Haymitch's scent, which was a combination of the washing powder she used, his sweat, and the cologne that smelled like wood. It was better than the smell of whisky or any other liquor he used to drink. Nevertheless, she would miss it. She started memorizing how it felt like to play with the hair. She had to enjoy these little things more now. That was a promise she was giving herself already.

The sobs she drew against Haymitch's skin on his neck gave Haymitch goose bumps all over his body. It made him only to hold her tighter if that was even possible. He was holding onto her as well. He closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't want to see Katniss with that frantic look on her face anymore. He didn't want to see Peeta who was close to tears too. All he wanted was this to be a bad dream. He wanted that the small, sobbing woman in his arms was not about to enter an arena and never come back.

Effie relaxed a little and she was strong enough to form words. She let out her thoughts, "Why? Why, Haymitch?"

Haymitch cupped her head from behind, held her still firm against him and rocked back and forth, "I don't know."

Peeta snorted at this which made Haymitch shooting him a glare. He warned him with that. Peeta shook his head; he wanted Haymitch to tell Effie the truth.

Haymitch shook his head too, but out of an entirely different reason. His hands formed themselves into fists; he was fighting that thought away.

"Why would they do something like that? It was all about ending the games and now they're just like Snow. It's no change.", Effie sobbed, "Why?"

She was the only person in the room who didn't know why. She didn't know she was holding one of the responsible people, she thought nobody knew the answer to that question.

Effie started to shake again and Haymitch tensed up. He was having a disagreement with Peeta just through looks. While Haymitch wanted time for Effie to overcome the first shock, Peeta wanted to break everything to her. Haymitch was clenching now his teeth, but Peeta challenged him anyway, "Haymitch." The way he said it made it sound like a plea.

"Peeta", that was a warning. Haymitch felt Effie shifting in his arms, but he had her wrapped so close there wasn't much space for that.

"You have to.", Peeta said, he shot him a look with a threat that he'd do it otherwise.

"Haymitch?", Effie looked up.

He loosened his grip just enough to face her. He brought his forehead against hers to distract and comfort her at the same time. Both his hands were now cupping her cheeks, almost covering her ears to shield her from anything Peeta would say. But it was Effie, who was saying something: "What are you talking about?"

She looked at him, but couldn't make eye-contact since Haymitch had his eyes closed and shook his head slightly. He said, "Nothing."

Effie pushed herself a little further away from him. She studied how he opened his eyes. There was still fear, but she wasn't sure anymore what he was afraid of. She was aware of when someone said nothing was up, there was usually something major up.

Haymitch let his hands slide down to her shoulders. He didn't say anything, so Effie turned around to look at Peeta, "What is going on?"

Peeta didn't answer either, so Effie looked briefly at Katniss, who held onto a wall, steadying herself. Too many emotions hit her. They all got hit by them.

Effie looked back at Haymitch. He didn't respond either, instead, he buried his face in his hands again, groaned and leaned back a little to gain more space between himself and her. She was still sitting on his lap, on the very edge on his knees; his legs began to shake under the weight.

"Tell her!", Peeta insisted. He sounded angry.

It scared Effie, who jumped off Haymitch's lap and went to the bathroom door on the other side of the room, she repeated herself, "What is going on?"

Katniss' breathing was fastened, Haymitch was still stiff and Peeta was shaking because of all the emotions. Effie couldn't make any sense out of their behaviour. She waited for one of them giving in and making the next move.

"Tell her, Haymitch!", Peeta was now fighting tears, "Tell her why we have these games."

Haymitch lifted his head and looked at Katniss instead of Effie. He understood now why Katniss had been quiet all this time. Peeta and she must have had a fight about this before coming here: She felt guilty; he felt the same now. He couldn't tell Effie, because this would destroy her completely. He didn't understand why Peeta wanted to discuss is so badly.

"Tell her!", Peeta looked now at Katniss as well, "The both of you! Don't be cowards now. Tell Effie, why she has to go into those games. Tell her why we lose her."

Now Haymitch understood why Peeta was insisting upon it. He was hurt, he put his anger upon losing Effie on them. It was his way of coping.

"Tell me already!", Effie shouted. She couldn't take this any longer.

Peeta waited a few moments to see whether Haymitch or Katniss had the courage to tell the truth. They didn't. So Peeta spoke, he tried to use the calmest voice he could find while fighting emotions, "Right after the war ended, Coin held a meeting with all the remaining victors. She suggested instead of executing all people involved to hold one last Hunger Games with Capitol children. She said something about stilling the carve for revenge with a minimum of blood spill. Only the seven remaining victors were allowed to vote. It was a four against three votes - in favour the games. I'm so sorry, Effie." Peeta took a step towards Effie; he shed tears now.

He was not the only one losing a battle against tears; Effie felt them in her eyes again too. She didn't look at Katniss or Haymitch. "You voted against them?", she drew this conclusion. She was not ready to put two and two together about Haymitch's and Katniss' vote.

"Of course.", Peeta wiped the tears away and took another step towards her.

She now stepped closer too and embraced Peeta who let go the second after he felt her against him. "I'm so sorry,", he sobbed.

"It's not your fault.", Effie held herself together and comforted Peeta as good as she could.

"This is unfair.", Peeta sounded like a child, which he was with 28 years not anymore, but Effie was in the end like a mother to him. Effie would usually refer to him and Katniss as the kids, her kids.

The way she held him reminded him of the embraces his mother shared with him when he was upset or hurt when he was little. He couldn't bear the thought of losing another mother.

After some time he relaxed and shoved away a little. Effie wiped the tears under his eyes away and shot him a weak smile. "Would you mind looking after the girls?" On one hand, Effie wanted to discuss the news with the other two alone, on the other hand, she was worried sick about Daphne and Poppy. Peeta was no longer needed in this room, it would do him good getting his thought occupied otherwise.

Peeta nodded and made his way to the door. Effie followed him and whispered, "Thank you, Peeta." He nodded, drew Effie in for a quick hug and left the room.

Effie stayed at the door, watched him going downstairs and waited until she heard him talking to the girls in the living room. They sounded ok and not upset anymore. She listened to their voices a while to memorize them, to enjoy them as long as she could. She didn't want to face the upcoming conversation.

Neither did Haymitch and Katniss.


	4. Truth

Hello-hello, I've got chapter four for you. After this, we'll get to the "real" story, which is the coping and dealing. Thanks for hanging in there and enjoying the story. Special thanks to everyone, who followed or put the story to their favourites.

To RueJabberjay, this is NOT a SYOT-story. There will be other tributes in the story, but they won't really be my main focus and won't take up much space. If you want to suggest a name for them, I'm up for it, but they have to match the character. Sorry to disappoint.

 **Fourth chapter: Truth**

Eventually, Effie closed the door and leaned against it. On one hand, it was for supporting her, on the other hand, it was about making sure no one could escape the room anymore. Afterwards, she sighed.

The following minutes, nobody said anything. The only thing that had happened was Katniss sitting down on the bed next to Haymitch. They were teaming up to defend themselves in the upcoming conversation. Two against one was unfair, but Effie was in the best place for this discussion. She had all the trumps in her hands.

But Effie didn't start that conversation. She didn't consider it her duty to do so. Haymitch and Katniss owed her an explanation and she was willing to give them all the time they needed to do so. She watched them struggling and it calmed her down. Effie wasn't furious or angry anymore; she wasn't even sad. She felt strong enough to face the worst. It was the steady breaths, she took which gave her that power and the fact she still leaned against the door.

It took an eternity for Haymitch to finally speak, but he couldn't look up while doing so. Effie was relieved about it. That way it was easier for all of them. He spoke slowly, every word he formed seemed like a hurdle, "What Peeta said is true but he left things out. Yes, we were able to vote for one last Hunger Games. Yes, Peeta, Annie, and Beetee voted against them. Enobaria and Johanna for them. It was down to Katniss and me."

He looked towards Katniss who nodded to encourage him to go ahead. She assured him with her gesture that he was doing ok, "Katniss voted for them so it was down to me. I had the deciding vote. I took my time and- … followed the Mockingjay."

He paused to let the words sink into Effie. She didn't respond because there was still no explanation for his decision. It was still his turn to speak, "I followed the Mockingjay because I knew she didn't like Coin either. I didn't know what plan she had in store. All I knew was that Coin wouldn't be in charge in the new Panem when I followed Katniss. So to me, these Games were never supposed to happen."

There was the explanation and it was good one too. But Effie couldn't shake the feeling that the explanation sounded too made-up. That was the reason she started digging deeper with an inconvenient question, "You would have said the same back then? You didn't want revenge?"

Haymitch hesitated, but said with a firm voice, "No."

"Really?", Effie had to challenge him. She had to know for sure this explanation wasn't to just smooth her feelings, to keep her calm, to not upset her anymore.

That Effie questioned his answers drove Haymitch crazy. He wasn't composed anymore, when he asked, "What do you want to hear, Effie?", he lifted his head to look at her, "That part of me wanted this?"

" _Did_ a part of you want this?", Effie was finally ready to ask the question she wanted the answer to.

All Haymitch could do was sigh, "Eff-…"

His answer let her feelings built up inside her again, Effie tried shrugging them off and kept her calm voice. She dared him, "Just say it."

"Yes, maybe, I don't know. … Maybe some part of me wanted revenge. But I never wanted you in there.", he looked at Effie, who still looked at him challenging, he repeated himself, "Never."

He rested his forehead against a hand, looked down at his feet, he started to shake his head, "You really think I want you in there?"

Effie shrugged again, she couldn't shake her suspicious behaviour off so easily. Haymitch had always been one big mystery to her. She was never sure what was going on his head. They hardly spoke clearly to each other. It was always full of well-hidden hints and ambiguities.

"You can't be serious about that.", Haymitch sounded disappointed, "After everything-"

She cut him off, "Of course not. I-". Now she buried her face in her hands and afterward removed the hair out of her face, "It's hard to process." She sighed and stepped in front of Haymitch, kneeled down and brought a hand up to his cheek. They locked eyes immediately. "But it was _before_."

"You're not mad or angry?"

She exhaled deeply, how could she be mad or angry with the man who obviously struggled with his decision himself, "Like I said, it was before, Haymitch, before all of this happened.", and she didn't mean the games by that but her family, "It was before you had a reason to let go of your anger."

He smiled at the woman who never stopped to surprise him, he put a hand over hers on his cheek, he placed a kiss on her inner wrist and confirmed, "It was before."

She smiled at him as well, but it faded quickly when she turned towards Katniss, who whimpered, "Effie, I-" She was trembling. Effie took Katniss' hands in hers and let them rest in Katniss' lap.

"I won't be angry with you when I'm not with Haymitch. It wouldn't be fair. And it's not fair either to make you responsible for something you didn't agree to. You did agree to Games with kids, right?", Effie tried solving the situation the best way she could.

She saw Katniss nodding and checked if Haymitch confirmed it, which he did with a nod. "Well, then it's not your fault that this is happening." Effie tried to sound somewhat cheerful. Seeing the positive in the negative situation.

Katniss cried, but she couldn't brush the tears away because Effie held her hands still tight.

"It must be hard for you to be reminded of all of this. Of the horrible time. Of the people you lost.", she paused, before she said, "Of Prim." They hardly ever spoke about the games, even less about Prim. It was a sore spot. They all tried focusing on other things in life, like the future.

Effie understood Katniss' behaviour. It brought back a lot of memories for her, most of them were bad ones. If Effie wouldn't have had her soon to be death on her plate she would be devastated because of the memories of that time.

Katniss cried harder, which made Haymitch put his arm around her shoulders. Effie tried calming her with words, "But you're safe this time." Effie needed Katniss to be strong, confident. The path in front of them was long and challenging. They needed everybody at their strength for this.

Katniss shook her head at Effie's saying, which made Effie arguing, "Yes! Katniss, you won't go in the arena this time."

She kept shaking her head, which made Effie looking helpless up to Haymitch who sighed and drew Katniss closer to himself. "You want to talk alone?"

Katniss nodded, they still shared a special bond that neither Peeta or Effie understood. They called it a Seam-thing.

Effie closed her eyes while she pulled her hands away from Katniss', but Katniss put her hands instead around Effie's neck to embrace her, "Effie." How Katniss could transport so many emotions by just saying her name amazed Effie. It meant "I'm sorry" and "thank you" and everything in between.

Effie enjoyed the hug because it gave her as much power as it gave Katniss too. Words weren't needed, especially with Katniss, so Effie decided to whisper just two, "My girl." It meant a lot to Katniss. Effie only referred to Daphne and Poppy as her girls.

Effie then placed a kiss on her temple and let go of the embrace.

"You are ok going down?", Haymitch reached for Effie's shoulder, he had a worried look on his face.

The emotions overcame Effie once more, she tried to swallow them down She stood up. Eyes bright, chin up, smile on. She was used to playing a part. "I'll be fine.", she lied to reassure them both. All she needed was a hug from her girls.

She went behind them to fetch the book that was still lying on the bed. She passed Haymitch, brushed over his arm, shot them a reassuring smile and left the room before checking herself in the mirror next to the door. She removed the dark circles under her eyes, which were caused by her tears and the non-waterproof mascara she had used today.

As soon as Effie left the room, Haymitch got up and stood in front of Katniss. He said with a demanding voice, "What's up?"

Katniss was no longer vulnerable and more determined: "We can't lose her."

"I know."

"We have to do something about it."

Haymitch studied her, he didn't know what she had in mind, "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm the Mockingjay, this should be worth something."

Haymitch smiled at her words, he knew what she was thinking of. He should have thought about it himself. He would get the phone immediately. A call to the Capitol was overdue.

* * *

It wasn't until late in the evening Haymitch and Effie had some time talking alone. Wordlessly they made themselves ready for bed and crawled under the sheets. Effie kept crawling until she was snuggled against his side. Her head rested on his shoulder. She absent-mindedly ran her right hand over his chest, drawing patterns. Haymitch in return was going through her hair.

"We have to talk, sweetheart.", Haymitch stated suddenly.

Effie tensed a little and sighed. She knew it was necessary,

"So, I was thinking-", Haymitch started, but was interrupted by Effie, "Stop! I can't do this, Haymitch."

It left Haymitch irritated. He thought her sigh was her way of giving him her approval, "Why not? We have to eventually."

"Yes, _eventually,_ but not _now_.", Effie stressed the words.

"Look, sweetheart, it won't get any better or more comfortable if we wait for this.", Haymitch argued.

"I know.", she sighed again.

"So, why not?", he dug deeper.

"Because I'm not prepared for this."

He groaned, "No one could be prepared for the talk that we are about to have."

Which made her sigh all over again. She explained, "I don't mean emotionally prepared, I mean I'm not _prepared_. I have not make up my mind about everything. There are important topics that we will tackle. We need to discuss a lot about the future and I don't want to forget anything. It should be a proper talk."

"What is there to think about? It's easy.", he claimed.

"It's not!", Effie said firmly and pushed herself up. She looked down to him and spoke with a reasonable voice, which was much calmer, "Besides, you know me well enough to know that I'm all about lists and schedules. You have to give me that time. I'm not like you. It took all my energy to hold up for the girls. It's easier for you, you're always the grumpy one, they didn't notice a change today. But I'm the happy and cheerful one. Keeping that up while you're awful on the inside is hard. So forgive me for not having time to make plans and arrangements for this."

She paused and laid back down on his shoulder, "Give me a few days, please. To mourn, to- to mull it over, to make up my mind about how we should handle the situation."

Haymitch wasn't satisfied, but granted her her wish. In the end, she was the one going into the games, so he had to play by her rules.

They fell silent again, still drawing patterns on each other's skin. Haymitch brought his hand to her right shoulder and sighed, "I talked to Plutarch."

Effie closed her eyes.

He waited for a response from her, but she didn't stop him when he continued, "I asked him a lot of questions.", he paused again, he waited for her to give her approval to his story telling.

"What questions?", she whispered.

"Why. Why now. Why you.", Effie tensed a little at the last one, Haymitch continued anyways, "He told me that there are still a lot of people angry about the games and angry with the government for not punishing enough. They had to do something. Paylor's team would have even split up if she didn't grant the games. Apparently, the plans were set a year after the end of the war. They took so long to get established because rebuilding Panem came first."

"Sounds economic to me.", Effie tried to comprehend the information.

"At least they did something right about that."

"And the no kids thing.", Effie reminded him.

"Yeah, that too.", Haymitch agreed and fell silent again.

"Is Plutarch in the pool of possible tributes as well?"

"No.", Haymitch kept his reply short.

"Oh, I forgot, he's too old.", Effie remembered the new regulation of being between 18 and 50 to participate in the games.

"That and he was pardoned because of his involvement in the rebellion.", he paused, he was rather hesitant to say the following, but he had to eventually "He told me there was a vote about you too."

Effie reacted exactly the way he had expected, she looked hopefully up to him, waiting for him to form the words of salvation. But there was no salvation. The hope was going to get destroyed all over again. Haymitch decided to speak slowly, crashing the hope gradually and not ripping it fast off like a band aid, "They considered your imprisonment. It was sharp, but they decided you shouldn't be excluded."

Effie sighed, her head fell back on Haymitch's shoulder, he drew her closer. "Well, I suppose that was predictable. I wasn't a rebel. I believed in the games, I didn't know it any other way, I was brainwashed. It wasn't until the Quarter Quell that I started to hate them, but for an entirely different reason. I was about to lose at least one of my victors.", she rolled her eyes, which were already filled with tears, " _My_ victors, I was still selfish. And now, I get what I deserve."

"Eff.", Haymitch sighed, he couldn't oppose to this.

"What? It's true.", she didn't want to fight the facts because they spoke against her. She started crying again.

"Hey, hey. It's ok, there have been enough tears for today.", Haymitch couldn't handle them anymore, "Are there even any left in you?"

Effie opened her eyes. She thought about something to reply. In that process, her eyes fell on the clock on his nightstand, "It's three minutes before midnight. Am I allowed to cry, then?", she wiped the tears away.

Haymitch chuckled, but remained silent.

Effie cleared her head and switched topics. "How are you holding up anyway? Crying is my way of coping, I know you too well and I'm sure you will want to go to town first thing tomorrow to get some liquor. But I ask you not to do so, please."

"I am actually thinking about it.", Haymitch confessed.

"I need you sober for this.", Effie argued.

"I know."

"Smash something instead or scream. Don't get drunk.", Effie requested.

"I'll try to fight it."

Effie couldn't ask for more. He had been sober for almost seven years. It had been a hard process getting him there, but his will to be there for his girls made him push through. Nevertheless, Effie would have an eye on him.

They fell into a comfortable silent again, drawing patterns and just being in each other's arms.

Suddenly, Effie sighed again, she raised her voice just enough so Haymitch could understand, "I love you."

Haymitch never said it back and he wouldn't do it now. He did what he usually made as a reply, he drew her closer and placed a kiss on the top of her head. He let it linger longer than usual, which made Effie lift her chin up. She smiled at him. He put his lips on hers and pulled her on top of him. The kiss was gentle and at the same time intense. They forgot what they would have to tackle in the future because all that counted was now.

Effie broke the kiss and looked at him. They smiled at each other. Haymitch didn't push her to go further and left control with her. She went through his beard, she got used to the stubble over time, even liked them when they were short. She placed a light kiss against his smile, which made it only grow bigger.

It encouraged her to go on. She put her lips on his, first soft and innocent. As soon as she opened her mouth to let his tongue in, she let herself fall into the kiss and pressed herself hard against him. She broke the kiss to come back for air. Haymitch chuckled, "There's gonna be a lot of sex."

Effie didn't disagree and just responded by kissing him again.

* * *

Thanks for reading. (:

The announced talk will take place in a few chapters. What are you hoping for them to talk about? Drop me some ideas, maybe I can work them in somehow. (Teaser: I had an absolute blast writing it!)


	5. Breakdown

**Fifth chapter: Breakdown**

Haymitch didn't sleep well that night, but how could he have expected otherwise? No one would have slept well considering what news had hit him. He awoke out of one of his nightmares, panting and taking his time to snap out of it. His breathing calmed down, and he reached to his right, but he didn't find Effie lying next to him. She wasn't there to ask him about his nightmare. She wasn't there to comfort him.

She just wasn't there.

It frightened him more than his nightmare. His eyes shot open, he sat up to look around the room properly, but he saw nothing. He looked towards the bathroom door; it was closed. When Effie was distressed, it upset her stomach too. Haymitch was betting she had been spending the night in there. He stood up and reached for the door. He knocked first and opened it. The bathroom was dark. He turned the lights on to be sure, but he saw nothing but the ordinary bathroom interior, a tube, a sink, a toilet and all of Effie's beauty products.

His next guess was the kitchen. He remembered her not eating much for dinner. Maybe she was fetching a snack. He walked downstairs, careful not to wake the girls down the hall. He couldn't hear anything downstairs, but Effie could be quiet like a mouse if she had to be. She had proven that to him on several occasions.

Haymitch was surprised when he didn't find her in the kitchen, that's why he checked the living room. She wasn't there either. In fact, she was nowhere to be found in the house.

If she wasn't inside, she had to be outside. He looked in the backyard, but couldn't see anything in the poor moonlight. He checked the front porch too because Effie liked sitting on the steps when she was mulling things over. It didn't matter to her what kind of weather it was. She could always use a blanket to keep her warm.

However, she wasn't there either. He sat down and tried thinking the way she would think. Suddenly he had an idea and looked up. He was quite sure he would see a light on in Katniss' and Peeta's house, but there was none.

He was wrong, so he decided to go to bed again. Apparently she needed time to herself if she chose her hiding spot as well. If she wanted to be found, Haymitch would have already located her.

When he arrived on the first floor, he noticed the door to the girls' room was slightly opened. Haymitch wanted to close it, but decided on instinct to have one look inside. He found Effie standing in there watching the girls sleep. He should have known in the first place that she was staying there.

Haymitch made his way up to her and wrapped his arms without a second thought around her from behind. He couldn't understand his sudden need to touch her all the time. They usually wouldn't do so; they didn't need it. He never understood the purpose of PDA in general.

Now they searched each other's presence. He didn't mind it. In fact, he enjoyed it somehow. She couldn't mind it either because he felt her relaxing against his chest. Effie put her hands over his and interlocked their fingers, which made him getting pulled closer towards her.

"They're peaceful.", Haymitch whispered into her ear. He rested his head on her shoulder and started nuzzling her neck. He liked the smell of her skin. It was Jasmine. He had learned that from her. After Effie telling him for a dozen of times, he finally remembered the name. It was her favourite kind of scent, that's why he'd buy her lotions and perfumes for her birthday or Mother's day but it was actually a present to himself.

Effie nodded, while responding quietly, "I can't stop watching them."

"Well, they are beautiful when they're asleep."

Effie chuckled. Haymitch definitely knew how to lighten the mood. He kept nuzzling her neck, but Effie didn't want to be distracted. She held on to the serious mood she was in by saying, "You'll be always there for them."

Haymitch wasn't sure if it was meant to be a question or a statement. He answered it anyway, "I'm their father."

"I'm their mother, but I won't be always there."

These words cut through the air like a knife like the words Peeta has spoken just hours before. They were harsh and brought both of them back to reality. Haymitch took his time answering and watched Daphne and Poppy sleeping. Poppy held tight to her six favourite stuffed animals, while Daphne's favourite Teddy was lying next to her in bed. He then brought his mouth next to Effie'e ear and replied, "You will.". He placed one last kiss right under her ear and let go of her.

Effie sighed quietly and didn't argue with him. She stayed with the girls some more and watched them sleep. It was indeed peaceful and gave her peace. She calmed down. It made her more relaxed than any kind of assuring or encouraging, but meaningless words could do.

She didn't believe Haymitch's response. The only way she could always be with the girls was as an angel, who would watch them from heaven. Better than nothing, she thought, but in the end it wasn't enough for her.

* * *

"It came.", Effie stepped into the living room. She just returned home from taking the girls to school. On her way, she fetched the mail in the post-box. In her hands there was a letter with a shiny emblem of Panem on it, which indicated it as one from the government.

Haymitch was sitting on the big brown leather sofa. He didn't catch her coming in because he had been staring at a full bottle of Whisky and an empty glass on the table in front of him. He looked up surprised and was only able to form a one-word-question, "What?"

Effie didn't call out his manners, but sat next to him on the sofa and handed him the letter without saying any more words. She took a moment to take the situation in and decided to take the bottle in front of her. She opened it, while Haymitch opened the letter. As Haymitch started reading the letter, Effie leaned back on the couch. She sank into the cushions behind her.

"It's the official notice on your nomination as a possible participant for the last Hunger Games.", Haymitch said after reading through the first few lines of the letter.

"I thought so.", Effie took a huge gulp of the liquor. She grimaced when the alcohol ran down her throat. She wasn't used to drinking Whisky. She had never enjoyed the hard stuff anyway. She always had been all over champagne or a long drink, which meant some overly sweet juice with the hard stuff Haymitch liked so much.

"It has more details about the procedure, you might want to know.", he explicated after cross-reading it quickly.

"Like the date of my death?", she took another long sip of the Whisky, while Haymitch kept reading the letter more carefully now.

Effie took another sip and said afterwards, "You can't imagine the people's faces when they saw me today." The people's reaction varied. Besides pity, arrogance and some kinds of disgusting satisfaction it was curiousness she had seen the most often. They just wanted to see how she was coping. A lot of people came up to Effie and asked her how she was. Since these people hardly ever talked to her, she knew it wasn't a sincere questioning about her feelings. It was an attempt to gather information. They tried to trump the others by knowing more. It was the number one topic of gossip. Effie couldn't blame them. If she wasn't affected by all of this, she would be right with them gossiping.

"I do actually.", Haymitch gestured to the bottle in her hands. He had seen the people as well and he had even spoken to the ones, who came up to him. First, he gave rather polite, but short answers. However, the more the people came up to him, the angrier he got and he finally barked at them. He threatened them by yelling at them to leave him and his family alone. It was none of their business. It was still well-known in district 12 that you wouldn't want to have Haymitch Abernathy as your enemy. So, the people kept their distance.

Effie started trembling at his words. She took the letter out of his hands, stood up quickly and was about to leave the room. She decided otherwise and turned around. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she was past sad tears, these were tears of anger, which made her smashing the bottle on the ground and screaming at Haymitch, "You promised!"

All he could do was watch the bottle of fine Whisky falling to the ground. He looked down on the floor and saw how the shards of glass spread on the ground. "I didn't.", he stayed calm.

Effie shook her head, she had tears on her cheeks rolling down, "You promised, I would be safe. You said so and I believed you. And in the end it was nothing but a well-told lie." She felt like a fool.

Haymitch was staring at the single glass on the coffee table, which was still empty. "I'm sorry." He had indeed told her that after the war was over. He had said it to her after every nightmare she experienced. She told him too. It had never felt like a lie before. Until now.

She left the room after hearing his response and headed upstairs. She slammed the door and let herself fall down to the bed. She cried. Tears filled the room. Haymitch could even hear them downstairs in the living room. It wouldn't help if he went upstairs when she made it clear with her actions that all she wanted was to be alone.

He kept looking at the empty glass in front of him. It was screaming for any kind of liquid. That's why he grabbed it and went to the kitchen. He filled it up with water and downed it in one go. However, it didn't have the same effect as alcohol, even though the glass it was in was made for booze. You can't trick the brain for taking the water in the whisky-glass for the fine Whisky, which was spilled all over the living-room-floor.

Frustration hit him. That's why he let out a scream and smashed the glass on the floor. He didn't feel any satisfaction afterwards. Smashing this _one_ glass wasn't enough; he wanted to destroy another one. He opened the cupboard in the kitchen, took the plates on the top shelf and smashed one by one to the ground. He enjoyed the crashing sound since it matched his collapsing life.

After finishing the plates, he took the bowls. He got angrier at every bowl, he threw to the floor. At some point the bowls seemed too small. So, he took one of the chairs and kicked it over. Eventually, he pushed all six of them over, but the objects still didn't seem big enough to Haymitch.

The next thing, which came to his mind, was the table. He flipped it over easily and finally satisfaction hit him. Seeing the table upside-down in his upside-down world seemed right. Effie known all along: smashing things helped him with coping.

Haymitch was thinking about what he could smash next when Peeta entered the kitchen. He didn't need to say anything; the disapproving look on his face made Haymitch speak instantly, "It may have gotten out of hand here."

Haymitch could see the mess he had created and it seemed wrong. It was no longer giving him a satisfied feeling.

"You think so?", Peeta raised an eyebrow and took a pushed-over stool into his hands. He set it back up and took a seat on it.

Haymitch shrugged. Suddenly, it didn't feel like the best idea anymore. He grabbed a chair too and was glad Effie had insisted on buying the extra-sturdy ones. The chair seemed to be fine - except for a few scratches. The plates and bowls on the other hand didn't seem to be usable anymore.

"What's going on here?", Peeta asked outright. This was not a place for small talk or pleasantries.

Haymitch started his clarification at the beginning of this mess. It was easy to pinpoint it, "I bought a bottle of Whisky."

"This explains it very well.", Peeta stated dryly. He knew Haymitch for years now. He had seen it at his worst; he had experienced his drunken escapades and was not only one time there to clean up the mess behind him. The last few years, in which Haymitch had been sober, were more relaxed. Not one of them would go back to the times they tried getting him through withdrawal.

"I didn't drink it.", Haymitch clarified and justified himself instantly. This outburst was not a result of his drinking behaviour.

Peeta studied him. He arched an eyebrow while doing so. He didn't quite believe him yet. The signs of Haymitch's feared relapse were there. And Peeta would understand if he Haymitch started drinking again. This was an extraordinary situation and it needed special coping methods, "Really?"

"Really.", Haymitch confirmed, "Effie drank some of it before she smashed the bottle."

"And then you decided to destroy half of your kitchen?", Peeta was still suspicious and tried to gain all details of the story before he drew a conclusion.

Haymitch snorted and mumbled under his breath, "Hated those plates anyways."

"What happened?", Peeta asked more determined now. This toeing around wasn't his cup of tea.

"The letter came.", Haymitch stuck to short answers, which made Peeta use short questions, "What letter?"

"With the details for…", Haymitch trailed off and continued with a firmer, yet frustrated voice, "Well, it had gotten real now. Like officially real."

Peeta understood the hint and got why Haymitch must have had an outburst. He decided to change topics and asked, "How's Effie?"

Haymitch swallowed before answering. His response sounded more like a mumble, "Smashed the bottle, screamed at me, cried, and ran upstairs."

Peeta stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "Have you checked on her since?"

"Was busy.", Haymitch pointed towards the floor of shards. Effie hadn't been his priority since she screamed at him and smashed his bottle of salvation.

Peeta sighed, stood up and went straight to the close-by cupboard. He took a broom out and handed it to Haymitch while saying, "You better start the cleaning now. I'll check up on her."

It made Haymitch growl. Cleaning wasn't his thing.

Peeta tried keeping his mood alright by saying, "I'll help afterwards."

"Yeah, yeah.", Haymitch didn't believe him because that's what grown-ups would tell their children if they wanted them to do things the kids didn't like.

Peeta stopped at the door frame and turned around because there was still one crucial question hanging in the air, which needed to be asked, "Was it the only bottle?"

Haymitch and Peeta locked eyes and studied each other. It felt like a struggle for power. Eventually Haymitch responded, "Yeah." He didn't know whether he won or lost the battle. He assumed he lost it, since Peeta asked again to make sure Haymitch wasn't hiding anything, "You're sure, there's no other bottle somewhere around here?"

"I'm positive.", Haymitch responded sincerely.

"Well.", Peeta sighed, "Start the cleaning already. Will you, my dear?", Peeta mocked Haymitch with a smile on his face and left him alone in the kitchen.

He went upstairs to look after Effie, but she refused any kind of comfort from him. She said she wanted to be alone. Between the lines she asked him to leave her alone, but she was too polite to say it in a rude, straightforward way. He made sure she had some water within reach and prepared snacks. Peeta was allowed to have a look at the letter too, but they didn't discuss it.

So, Peeta left her dwelling and went down to help Haymitch cleaning up the kitchen. It was Peeta who took care of the shards and the spilled liquor in the living room. The temptation for Haymitch was just too big. He would lick the alcohol from the floor instantly. All it needed for a relapse was a drop of alcohol and Haymitch knew he had to be there for his girls. Peeta and he would pick them up from school today. At the same time, they could buy new plates and boils, they would need them for dinner.

That way they spared Effie time for being for herself. Peeta and Haymitch told the girls she was feeling a little sick and needed some rest, which gave Effie time to stay in the bedroom some more alone. Moreover, it gave her an excuse for not being as chatty at dinner as she used to be. She didn't even comment on the new plates. Haymitch wasn't even sure she noticed because she didn't touch much of her food tonight either. She and Haymitch didn't talk to each other; it was clear to him she was still mad at him.

After dinner, she locked herself in the bedroom again and Haymitch had his hands full with getting the girls ready for bed. Since Effie was acting off, the girls were acting off too. They noticed something was not right today. They complained about the change of routine and pointed out what their mother would do differently. "I'm not your mother.", Haymitch stated at some point. It got more relaxed when it was time for a good-night-story and they could just snuggle in of the girls' bed.

After putting the girls to bed, Haymitch let himself fall onto the couch. He reached for the book on the coffee table. He wasn't much of a television-guy. Most of the time Effie would make him watch with her.

He couldn't concentrate on the book tonight, so he switched the TV on. He hadn't gotten around to see the news about the new games on there. Hardly any programme didn't announce or inform about the games. He switched channels often to gain a full overview of the situation and of the opinions out there. Most were in favour of the games. There was hardly any critique.

Moreover, the TV channels informed about the procedure itself. The government intended to hold these games just like the original ones. There would be twenty-four tributes, twelve male and twelve female. They would get presented in a parade as well because the Capitol tributes should go through the same hassle like every single one of the 1800 tributes from the districts. They should finally feel what it was like to be a tribute. There would also be interviewed to gain the audience's affection to sponsor them. Of course, Ceasear Flickerman wouldn't do the interviews anymore because he'd probably go into the games as well. Since the end of the war he wasn't seen on TV anymore and some other moderators took his place. Cressida herself had handpicked them.

When he thought he had taken it all in, he switched the TV off and leaned back on the sofa. He faced the ceiling and started thinking. He came up with strategies for Effie. He would consult Katniss and he'd call Johanna and Beetee at some point. He wouldn't be able to handle Annie and her tears. Effie was hard enough for him.

Haymitch looked to the stairs behind him and didn't know if he was allowed to sleep in the bedroom or if he was banished to the couch. He decided it would be childish to stay in the living room and made his way upstairs.

He entered the bedroom casually and wasn't even knocking at the door. He wouldn't acknowledge that to her and went straight to the bathroom to get himself ready for bed. He changed into a pair of sweatpants and kept his shirt on. Then, he slipped under the covers too. Effie was already lying on her side of the bed; her back turned towards him.

After switching the lights off, he folded one arm behind his neck. He couldn't sleep yet because he still was thinking about the games and the consequences. He turned his head to his right to look at Effie. He was relieved to see her breathing steady and not sobbing. Eventually he fell asleep and he slept surprisingly well that night.

Effie on the other hand didn't sleep well. It took her a long time to fall asleep and as soon as she did, she had to face nightmares that would soon become reality. When she awoke the nightmare didn't stop, which was the worst.

She took her time calming down, but neither her breathing nor her heart rate relaxed. She rolled onto her back to make breathing easier. When she finally managed to be calmer she tried sleeping again, but the bad thoughts came haunting her and made it impossible to fall back asleep. The bad thoughts kept her head occupied. She rolled from one side to the other, but she couldn't shake the nightmares off. She was about to cry when she remembered the one place she always felt safe.

Effie rolled to her left side and watched Haymitch sleeping peacefully, which hardly ever happened. She scooted closer, but didn't snuggle into his side like she'd usually do. Instead, she brought her head close enough so her forehead could rest against his upper arm. In that process the tip of her nose brushed against his arm. She placed her right hand softly around his wrist. In that process, she was careful not to wake him. The little body contact was enough for her to make her fall back asleep.

She awoke when she heard the alarm ringing. Out of reflex, she reached to hit the snooze button and snuggled back into bed. She pulled Haymitch's right arm tight against her chest. She was surprised when she noticed movements coming from him. It was an attempt to free his arm out of her grip, but she wasn't ready to let go yet. She moaned quietly and held on to his arm tighter.

Little did she know what Haymitch had in mind. He wanted to wrap his arm around her instead of her being wrapped around his arm. He hugged her with his other arm anyhow, but it wasn't comfortable for his shoulder, which was overstretched in the process. In the end, he didn't mind if it meant ending the fight they had the day before.

He felt Effie burying her nose in his chest and inhaling his scent. She relaxed in his arm and she loosened her grip on his other arm, so he could properly gather her in his arms. Her right arm was wrapped around his middle, while her left hand rested on his chest and was trapped between their bodies.

They didn't need words when the intimate embrace this morning was enough. It could have gone on forever like this, but the alarm clock rang again. It was Haymitch who reached over her to stop it. Afterwards, he searched for her eyes. He looked for an answer; she nodded in response. Some things definitely didn't need words.

Haymitch stood up to get himself ready, so he could take care of the girls. Effie needed another day in bed and to be honest, he could use it too.


	6. Change

**Sixth chapter: Change**

The second day after the announcement carried on for Effie like the first had ended. It consisted of crying and screaming. Overall, she still couldn't believe, what was happening to her and her family.

She followed the same routine of shedding tears and wallowing in self-pity until Haymitch came back home. He entered the bedroom with a cup of tea and some bread with jam on it. She couldn't eat right away; first she wanted to cry some more in Haymitch's arms. In his embrace, she stopped crying eventually. The sobs turned into whimpers, which turned into a heavy breathtaking until she calmed down completely.

All Haymitch had to do in that process was patting her head and back. It was an easy task, he had to perform. Eventually, he handed her the now cold tea and made her eat half of the jam-bread.

Afterwards, they got back to snuggling. Effie had her head placed on Haymitch's chest, which rose and fell steadily. It was the only movement going on for a long time. When Effie started to think properly about the situation she moved her right hand in circles over his chest. It started with small ones, but they got bigger as her thoughts got deeper and started digging into the essential core of the circumstances she was in. She still struggled with her fate because she was in place of her life where she didn't want to change things. Not a single one.

Well, it wasn't entirely true. If she could, she would change little things. They were nothing but details. However, overall she was happy. She was happy with her girls, happy with the kids in general and happy with the man, who was the father of her girls. Yes, they were arguing sometimes, but they always made up. She didn't want her life to transform and now she was forced to have it a different way.

There were two months left to fulfill all her dreams, wishes and desires, which she thought she had an entire life for. Considering her age, there were at least 40 years left. Fitting four decades of life events into two months seemed impossible. Most of her dreams _were_ impossible and out of reach: the girls' graduation, the girls' weddings, the girls' children, the girls growing up in general. It hurt her the most to know she wouldn't be there for her girls. She didn't know how she could make it up to her girls, whom she loved dearly.

Effie had never imagined to be a mother or to even develop motherly feelings in the first place. However, Katniss and Peeta stole her heart soon enough and she'd do anything for them. She would give her right hand away if it meant to protect them. It was no secret she was held captive in that cell in the Capitol because she loved those children.

Being there for Katniss and Peeta was good practice before Daphne came along. And Daphne was one of the biggest surprises in her life. Maybe not as huge as the existence of a rebellion right in front of her, and certainly not as big as the games coming back, but still big enough. Haymitch and she had never planned to become parents, but they had never planned to live together either. Both sort of happened.

Effie couldn't live in the Capitol after the war. She tried, but being apart from her team, especially from the kids, didn't help her healing. She started healing in 12. It helped even more when Haymitch was with her. And it seemed the relationship they shared throughout the games was a true friendship. All the bantering, the glances, and the brief touches were flirting and signs of affection.

It seemed natural when she started sleeping in his bed. They both slept better that way. And it was the only next natural step to start sleeping with each other. Years of built-up and sexual frustration unloaded in a lot of heated sex. A lot of times it was so rushed that there was no time for using any protection. This was how Daphne was conceived.

They didn't love her any less because of that, maybe even more. Haymitch turned out to be a fine father and for Effie was being a mother the best treatment. It gave her a reason to get up and not give in to the nightmares. She enjoyed being a mother so much that one girl didn't seem enough and even though she had not much contact with her own sister anymore she enjoyed having a sibling in her childhood. She wanted the same for Daphne.

It took Effie a total of five days to persuade Haymitch. The first time she asked him, he shouted his answers, "Where does that come from? Absolutely no!" By his reaction, Effie could tell that it came out of the blue to him.

The second time she asked him, he sighed his answer, "Effs, no I don't think so." She noticed, how much calmer he was now.

The third time she asked him, he no longer refused it. All he grumbled was, "I don't know, Effs." She knew he was definitely thinking about it.

The fourth time she asked him, he gave a short, yet vague answer "Well..", he paused and added with a smirk, "Maybe." Effie considered this almost a yes.

The fifth time she asked about having a second child, he just shrugged and said, "Let's do it."

A year later, they had another girl named Penelope, which she was never called by anyone except for Effie. Haymitch with his love for pet names had started calling her Poppy as soon as she was born. Shortly afterwards, everyone else followed his lead, even Effie had given in at some point, but she was glad that at least one of her girls got to keep her given name.

Now, her girls were not allowed to keep her mother because their mother was not allowed to keep her life. Effie wanted time to stop. She wanted nothing to change. She wanted Haymitch's arm only around her because they just enjoyed their time together and not because he had to comfort her.

Effie moved, so she could bury her nose in Haymitch's shirt, which made her torso rest on his. She placed a kiss on his chest and tried pushing everything on her mind away. She pretended this was one of the ordinary days when she'd place another kiss on his chest and would bring one leg between his.

She noticed how Haymitch tensed up for a moment. Her kisses must have taken him by surprise. He probably wasn't even sure what got him into this situation since he couldn't hear Effie's thoughts. She felt his arms around her waist, but they didn't move any further. It drove Effie crazy that he was hesitant and just waited what would happen. Therefore, she left a trail of kisses on his chest and moved over his collarbone up to his throat. Finally, she heard a moan escaping his mouth, which made her realize she did something right.

Effie brought her attention to the skin right under his ear and kissed along his jaw, coming rather close to his lips. She avoided his lips, she wanted him to finally start giving back a little. She wasn't willing to do all the work and teased him by paying attention to the skin behind his other ear. As she placed feather-light kisses there she heard Haymitch moan again. She wasn't sure whether it was out of pleasure or out of frustration. Finally, Haymitch moved his hands to her butt and drew her closer. It made Effie gasp; she faced him with a smile. He smirked at her too.

It was the smirk that challenged her so often. She had no other choice than to kiss it away. The kisses also drove everything else away, which bothered her. It was easier to kiss them away than facing them at the moment. With every time there was skin on skin contact the change of their life seemed further away. So, they kept kissing and soon followed by stripping the clothes from each other's body. The kissing never stopped, it was even enlightened by the skin on skin contact.

* * *

Some time later, they were lying in the same position as before again. Effie with her head on Haymitch's chest and his arm around her. She was thinking again and started her list of things to do in her mind.

She didn't notice Haymitch having a look at the clock. They both had lost track of time. Effie heard him sighing and then saying, "In 10 minutes I should get ready to get the girls." He then placed a kiss on the top of her head.

Effie was torn from her thoughts and pushed herself up. "I will come with you." Effie got dressed in a dark-green dress and applied some make-up. She mumbled something about her hair and put on a headscarf.

When they left the house they couldn't tell who of the two was more nervous about leaving home and facing reality. They didn't talk while going to the city-centre, but intertwined their fingers, falling in the same step.

The situation got more awkward when they waited in front of the school. The other parents kept their distance, Haymitch had told them so, he even had yelled at some, but it didn't keep them from staring. He was about to shield Effie with a hug when they heard a high girl's voice, it was close to a shriek, "Mummy!"

Effie turned around to see Poppy running towards her. She smiled and knelt down to gather her daughter in her arms. "My dear.", Effie placed a kiss on her strawberry blond hair, which had the same colour as hers.

"You're feeling better?", Poppy looked expectantly at her mother.

"Yes, much better.", Effie smiled while straightening Poppy's two pigtails out and was then brushed with her fingers through Poppy's fringe, she asked, "Are you good too? Did you have a good day?"

Poppy nodded eagerly and her fringe got a little out of place again.

"Mum!" There was another pair of arms around Effie's neck.

"Daphne.", Effie brought her arms around her other daughter and watched Poppy hugging her father. Effie held Daphne close. She could feel her stubby hair under her hands, and placed a kiss on top of her head. Effie brought her hands down her hair and was irritated by the hairstyle she felt.

Effie released Daphne from her hug to let her greet her father too. She was shocked when she saw the thing dangling down her back. She wasn't sure how to call it. It was neither a ponytail nor a braid. It was a hairy mess.

"Daphne, my dear, what happened to your hair?", Daphne turned to her mother again, and Effie added, "Was there some kind of hair-wrestling going on?"

"No, is something wrong with it?", she touched the blond hair in her back.

Poppy giggled and laughed at her sister.

"Oh, hush you! You didn't look any better when you came out of school. I won't lose a word about how messy your hair is parted in the back.", Effie sighed and tried freeing Daphne's hair from all the clips and braids which kept it somehow in place, "Who's responsible for this masterpiece? You or one of your friends?"

Her mother's warning didn't bother Poppy, she giggled again. This time Haymitch tried shushing her with placing a hand over her mouth. It wasn't successful. Effie laid her head on her shoulder and watched them playing around. She sighed again, "It was your father, wasn't it?"

"Yes.", Daphne admitted, "Is it that bad?"

Effie could hear her daughter's concern. Despite her wild attitude Daphne cared a lot about her long hair. Effie thought it was amusing. She took every clip and elastic out and sorted out her tangled hair as good as she could. "Nothing a hairbrush can't solve.", she assured her and then held a hand out to her. Daphne grabbed it and the family made its way home.

The girls told their parents about school when Poppy's stomach grumbled loudly. "Gosh, Poppy, are you hungry?", Effie was surprised. Poppy's lunch in school was supposed to be only two hours ago.

"Well, yes. I hardly had any lunch today.", Poppy shrugged.

"Pardon?", Effie thought she misunderstood.

Poppy explained the situation some more. "Mindy shared some of hers with me, but I didn't really have any today."

"Why not, my dear?"

"There was no lunch in my school bag.", Poppy pointed to her backpack.

"In mine neither. I'm really hungry too.", Daphne chimed in.

Effie tried staying calm and not overreacting. She didn't shout at Haymitch, but shot him a glare instead and said, "Oh my babies." She turned on her heels to make her way to town again, "We'll get you something at Peeta's."

* * *

Peeta was surprised when he saw all the family in his bakery. He was not too surprised when he saw the girls pressing their noses against the glass of the vitrine. It was a habit they couldn't shake off yet.

Greetings were exchanged and Effie said to Daphne and Poppy, "Pick a filled bun or a sandwich you like."

"Like any?", Poppy looked up.

"Yes, Poppy.", she brushed over her hair. Some spoiling wouldn't do any damage, she mused.

It took the girls quite long to decide and when Peeta served them they started some chitchatting. "Is Katniss all ready for our trip to the forest today?", Daphne asked while she watched Peeta grabbing a tuna sandwich. At the smell Poppy wrinkled her nose.

"Oh.", Peeta looked at Effie and Haymitch, they had forgotten all about that.

"I'm really excited, she promised me to show me how to set up a trap.", Daphne went on and held her hand high to get the sandwich.

"A trap? What do you want to catch?", Poppy asked her. She finally brought her face away from the vitrine. Her hands were still placed on it though.

"Whatever goes in.", Daphne shrugged and picked some tuna out of the sandwich to eat.

"Like monsters?"

"There are no monsters.", Poppy seemed disappointed, so Daphne added, "To be honest, I'm hoping for a fairy."

This answer made Poppy smile and dig some deeper, "Could we keep it then? The fairy?"

"If I catch one. Yeah, probably."

The grown-ups laughed at the conversation and reminded Poppy to get her bun with roasted chicken. She had asked for extra tomatoes in it. Haymitch paid for the food while Effie said, "We'll see how Katniss is. She felt a little ill too."

"She too? That's odd.", Daphne commented before she took a bite of her sandwich.

Effie forced herself to smile, "Not so much. She must have gotten it from me or the other way around."

"But, why are we not sick?", Poppy asked out of curiosity. It didn't make any sense to her since she didn't know, what impact the Sunday's news had on the grown-ups.

"Apparently, your immune system is much stronger than mine. That's why.", Effie explained objectively.

"Your what?"

"There are little fighters in you who keep any bacteria away, which could make you sick. That's an immune system.", Effie explained it as well as she could, as child-friendly as she could.

"Oh. … But Katniss is stronger than me and…", Poppy hesitated to say the next, "and even a lot stronger than you, Mummy. So why is she sick?"

Under normal circumstances, Haymitch would have chuckled at this. Instead, he locked eyes with Peeta. They knew they had to do something about that fact.

"Well, Poppy, how strong these little fighters in you have nothing to do with the strength of your muscles.", before Poppy could come up with any more questions, Effie added quickly, "And now eat your bun. I thought you were _so_ hungry."

They said their goodbyes to Peeta and left for home for good this time. As soon as they arrived at victors' village Daphne dropped her school bag in their front yard and ran up to Katniss' house. Effie could only shout after her, "Don't you have any homework to do for tomorrow? You should do that first."

Daphne shouted a loud "No" back and shook her long blond hair in the air. It flew in the wind.

Effie frowned; Haymitch patted her back. He was worried too. They didn't know how Katniss would react when Daphne would storm in. Haymitch grabbed the schoolbag from the ground and fixed his gaze at Katniss' house.

"Do you have any homework, my dear?", Effie looked at Poppy, who was rather jumping her way than walking.

"We can finish the drawing we started in pre-school."

"Very well. Then we'll do that."

"I'd rather go in the swing first.", Effie smiled at those words. It was a lovely late-spring, almost summer day. It would be a waste to spend it inside and not on the swing.

"Will you push me, Daddy?", Poppy held Haymitch's arm tightly. He grumbled at first, it was the part he had to play being the grumpy father. Eventually he gave in with saying something like, "Aren't you a little old for still getting pushed on a swing?"

Poppy stumbled at first, but then stated, "I want to go really high. Therefore, I need your help."

Haymitch tried choosing his words as carefully as his daughter, "Certainly."

He shot a look at Effie, who encouraged it with a nod. She took both girls' schoolbags inside and decided to join Haymitch and Poppy outside. She took a pen and a notebook with her when she sat on the front step. The first things that needed to be discussed with Haymitch had come to her mind and she didn't want to forget them.

She started some brainstorming when she saw Katniss and Daphne leaving victors village. It would Katniss do some good going to the woods.

Effie's list grew longer and she kept writing constantly only looking up when Poppy called her, "Mummy, look, how high I am." She'd also look up when she'd hear loud laughs coming from Poppy. After going on the swing. Haymitch and she were playing catch, which ended in tickling attacks. The laughs of both warmed and hurt Effie's heart. She put tickling sessions on the list of things she wanted to do and laid the notebook aside. She joined Haymitch and Poppy in their game of catch and tickle. As always Poppy and Effie would team-up against Haymitch and then Haymitch and Effie would team-up to tickle Poppy. They calmed down and ended up snuggling in the grass. Little girls like Poppy needed a fair amount of it.

Afterwards, Haymitch suggested bringing a blanket outside, so Poppy could finish her drawing for pre-school outside. They settled on the blanket in a different way. Poppy was lying on her stomach, her drawing in front of her and different markers all around her. Haymitch lay on his back; he had brought a book with him along, but eventually he'd fall asleep anyway. Effie had her feet folded under her, she placed her notebook in her lap and added more things to her list.

They continued their routine until Peeta came home, he brought a few leftover pastries from the bakery which would make a good treat with some afternoon-coffee. Effie joined him inside to prepare everything. It gave them an opportunity to talk about how they were.

Effie said, "The girls keep me occupied."

Peeta smiled at that, "They're quite a handful."

They came back to Poppy and Haymitch with coffee and one cup of hot chocolate. They were halfway through their cups and Poppy's speech about the ultimate ranking of her favourite animals when Katniss and Daphne returned from their trip to the forest.

"Did you catch a fairy already?", Effie asked, she stretched an arm out so Daphne could sit next to her. As soon as she sat down Effie put her arm around her shoulder.

"That doesn't work so quickly, Mum, Besides… I've learned the traps are not for fairies.", Daphne sounded a little embarrassed.

"Oh.", Effie drew Daphne closer and suppressed a smile on her lips.

Katniss had settled among the men. She and the boys had a smile on their faces as well. Peeta hid it with taking another sip from his coffee while Katniss placed a hand in front of her mouth. Only Haymitch didn't hide his smile.

Poppy was the only one not knowing what was going on so she asked, "What's it for then?"

Daphne looked at Katniss who simply replied, "Rabbits."

Poppy's face lit up, "We're getting a pet?! Oh, rabbits are so cute and fluffy and…" Before she could go on about all the positive aspects of having a rabbit as a pet, Haymitch, Peeta and Katniss explained the purpose of setting up traps for rabbits.

While they did that, Daphne whispered to Effie, "Mum, I don't want to eat a rabbit."

"You don't have to eat all of it, just try it first, my dear."

"Mum, please, I don't want to. Rabbits are cute. I can't eat them."

Effie pursed her lips a little, but gave in at last, "Fine, but you miss out on something. They taste excellent. Especially the way Peeta and Katniss prepare them." She placed another kiss on top of her head.

"I don't think so.", Daphne drew her knees to her breast. They were red all over. Effie didn't know if it was bruised or dried blood.

"What happened?", Effie said it loud enough for the others to stop their conversation and bring their attention to her.

Daphne shifted under her arm, "I fell. But. … it wasn't as bad. Didn't even hurt." She tried hard to sound casual and looked at Haymitch.

Katniss chuckled, "That sounded a whole lot of different when it happened."

Daphne was shaking her head to prevent Katniss from telling the story.

"There were a lot of tears and even some screaming for Mummy included.", Katniss said it in a mockery tone. It was well known that Daphne always pretended to be too cool to call her mother Mummy. So when it had happened, it needed to be told. Especially with the given situation of the games it had to be told.

Effie held Daphne closer and mouthed a "thank you" in Katniss' direction. Effie could only suspect how hard dealing with a crying Daphne for her Mummy must have been, especially when Effie was not around. It was like a glimpse of the future.

"Does it still hurt?", Effie loosened her grip on her daughter.

"A little,", Daphne admitted.

"We better should get this disinfected, my dear, OK?", Effie said before she got up.

"I suppose Katniss wasn't as concerned when it happened?", Peeta asked, he distracted Daphne from the worried look on her mother's face.

"Not exactly. She handed me some leaves to still the wound."

Peeta looked at Katniss, it was quite judgmental. Katniss frowned, "Oh, come on! It was herbals. So, good for her. Best I could do while being out there."

Peeta still looked at Katniss, waited for a more detailed explanation, "Besides, she grows up like a puppy. Everything is taken care of for her. Nothing bad about showing her a glimpse of how harsh the world can get. It didn't do any harm, she survived."

"You're lucky, you have me, Daphne. I'll make you some hot chocolate too. Sounds good?", Peeta addressed now the girl, "Katniss isn't as good as I am at caring about someone."

Daphne nodded and pouted, "I'd rather have some juice, please."

"Whatever the patient likes,", Peeta went to his house.

Haymitch waited until Peeta was out of sight when he asked her, "Sweetheart, what happened?"

"Like I said, I fell.", Daphne stressed every syllable.

"Yeah, sure. So… did you trip or did you jump down from somewhere?", Haymitch asked.

Daphne avoided his gaze and instead looked at Katniss for help. That's when Haymitch knew what really happened, "How often have I told you not to do that?" Haymitch looked now at Katniss, " _Both_ of you?!"

"It wasn't that high, I promise.", Daphne said it immediately, she felt guilty for Katniss being in trouble with Haymitch.

Haymitch frowned, which made Katniss speak up, "It really wasn't high. You know I would never allow that."

"I know you'd never _tell_ me.", Haymitch clarified.

"It was not too high, trust me. She didn't land well, fell on her knees instead of her feet. She lost balance while landing. That's the story. Something like that can happen in any height.", Katniss explained, she justified herself and Daphne.

Haymitch still grumbled, but believed them, "Next time you check the ground you'll be landing on, OK?", Daphne nodded, and Haymitch added, "There must have been quite a lot of stones."

"Yes.", Daphne whispered.

"Well, serves you right, my dear.", Daphne looked at him sadly so Haymitch added in mockery, "Enjoy the fussing." It made Daphne smile and roll her eyes. It was a running gag between the girls, Haymitch and Katniss about how overboard Peeta and Effie could get about certain things. Sometimes the girls would join Peeta's and Effie's excitement, for birthdays for example.

Right then Peeta returned with a glass of apple juice. He handed it to Daphne and said, "I put a straw in too."

"Thank you.", Daphne smiled at Peeta, who sat down between her and Katniss.

"Is Effie not back yet?", Peeta asked.

"Probably still putting the emergency kit together.", Haymitch said under his breath. It made himself and Katniss laugh, even more when they pictured Effie freaking out inside.

In reality, Effie was calm as she could be. She wasn't running through the house, not panicking as Katniss and Haymitch suspected. She had all necessary things together, but stopped in the kitchen to look out of the window there. She saw her family enjoying their time and laughing. Pick-nicks were definitely going on her list.

* * *

After putting the girls to bed and having some down-time with reading Haymitch found Effie with her notebook in their bed. "Since you apparently made plans all day, we'll talk tomorrow?", he asked, while leaning against the door frame.

Effie simply replied with a "no".

"Why not? That list is long.", he went over to her and tried peeking in her notebook.

"And messy.", Effie added, "I would like to sort it out and come up with plans instead of ideas."

"So, when's the talk gonna be?", Haymitch asked while changing into his sleeping clothes.

Effie shrugged, "Maybe the day after tomorrow?", she looked at Haymitch, who pulled his shirt into place.

"Good …", he trailed off and rolled his eyes. He settled into bed and wiggled under the sheets. He grabbed his book again and was trying to find the last page he read when Effie said: "Just say it, Haymitch!"

She had put away her notebook and looked at him expectantly.

"What?", he was irritated and put his book away as well.

"What was it you actually wanted to say?"

"What do you mean?"

"All day you've been holding back."

"Holding back what?!", Haymitch was irritated and offended.

"Your comments!", said reproachfully.

He sat up now facing her properly. "Sweetheart-", he started, but couldn't finish because Effie interrupted him, "Don't you think I notice how you act around me? Like I'm made out of glass? Like you hold back any rude comments? You're behaving extra well around me. And where does all that cuddling suddenly come from? I don't want any of this. So, please, stop!"

"I don't do any of that.", Haymitch tried arguing again, but Effie carried on, "You even hold back your smirks. God, Haymitch, just be yourself around me and don't tiptoe and act like I could break any minute because I won't."

"You make it hard to believe otherwise.", Haymitch said sharply.

"Still, I'm not. So, please, act normally.", Effie said in a demanding voice. She didn't want it to sound like a plea. Sitting on the bed didn't seem like the ideal place to have this conversation anymore. She stood up and turned towards him.

Haymitch growled and stood up himself, "I do all these things to please you, you know?"

"Well stop because I don't want anything to change.", Effie brought her hands up in a defending mode.

"But we're facing this change and we'll talk more change the day after tomorrow. You know that?", Haymitch widened his eyes.

Effie stomped her foot. "We'll talk activities, tasks and other important issues, but we absolutely won't discuss our behaviour. So, be rude and stop the cuddling if you don't mean it."

"You can't ask that of me. I'm going through this too.", Haymitch clenched his teeth.

"You're not the one who's going to die.", Effie spat back.

"No, worse.", Haymitch knew how to trump this, "I'll be there to deal with your death."

"But you'll live!", Effie raised her voice against him.

"Not the same life as now, sweetheart!", Haymitch argued and paused. After shrugging off any harsh tone in his voice, he continued more reasonable for a while, but eventually got annoyed again, "So, yeah, maybe I changed because everything is different already. You always call out my rudeness. You're always the one who wants to hug and cuddle. I give you, what you want. Just fucking take it, it's not too hard."

Effie just stared at him. She was still angry with him. She searched for words to throw back at him. However, Haymitch carried on his speech, "You need all of this. The hugging and the special treatment. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want this. Tell me that you want me to not change and not give a damn about everything. Tell me you want me not to care and be thoughtless."

Effie pressed her lips together. She looked down to avoid having eye-contact.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Haymitch raised his eyebrows while his shoulders fell down. "I don't mind the hugging. Especially since it leads so often to you and me screwing. I can come up with some _rude_ comments if you wish that, but I don't want to take this lightly. I can't because this affects me too. I'm surprised I have to tell you this."

With every word Haymitch spoke it brought Effie closer to tears. She was crying again. The strength she had minutes ago screaming at him was gone and the helplessness of the situation overcame her again.

Haymitch made his way halfway around the bed and stretched his arm out towards her. "C'mere."

Effie shook her head, which was buried now in her hands to stop the tears.

"For fuck's sake, Effie, you need me to hold you." Haymitch stepped finally towards her.

Effie wiped her tears away. "I don't. I'm not made out of glass. I can handle myself."

"I'm sure you can, but you don't have to. … Effie, please.", he took another step closer to her and put a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can't look at you like this."

"Then look away.", she shrugged and was still not facing him.

Haymitch groaned, then sighed: "Sweetheart, it's me, who needs a hug, not you."

Finally, Effie looked up to meet his gaze. In his eyes she saw that what he said was sincere. "We probably both do." She buried herself in Haymitchs chest while he did the same in her hair. After a moment or two, she pushed herself slightly away from him to finally look at him, "It feels wrong though."

"The hug?", Haymitch interjected.

Effie nodded. She waited for an explanation from his behalf.

"Well.", Haymitch took a moment to swallow, "It doesn't help improving the situation. It's basically a waste of time."

"It is.", Effie agreed and got out of his arms completely. First, sadness overcame her, when she stepped away from Haymitch to sit on her side of the bed. However, as soon as he laid down under the covers as well the sadness washed away and left a surprising feeling behind and it suddenly overcame her. She didn't need the physical comfort anymore. She was now able to face the situation on her own.

A few days ago she was lost and clung to the only safe spot she knew and found, but now there was a tiny little light far away in the darkness. She knew how to get there. It was still hard because she hardly saw anything, but there was enough light to make it - somehow - with some pitfalls and few bruises. However, in the end she would be able to handle the change.

Effie rolled on the side of the bed, facing away from Haymitch. She didn't shake anymore or feel the tears overcoming her. She didn't feel all over sure, but sure enough to fall asleep without worrying too much.

* * *

 _Since this is one of my favourite chapters, it would make my day if you'd leave me a review and tell me if and what you enjoyed about it._

 _Anyways, thanks for reading. (:_


	7. The Talk

**Seventh Chapter: The Talk**

The following day, Haymitch and Effie gave each other the necessary space to prepare for the talk that was long overdue. Haymitch felt like they were wasting time by waiting to have the talk. They could be doing something about the situation right now, like working out and getting Effie in shape. He was too impatient, so instead of going crazy at home waiting for tomorrow, he decided to join Katniss on one of her hunts in the woods.

They talked some more about training Effie. They discussed training methods and survival skills which Effie would probably need in the arena. They agreed on a daily training schedule with lessons about edible plants, tracking, and similar things. They talked a lot on the hunt, but avoided talking about their main troubles, their feelings about the days to come. They didn't discuss the effect that the Game's return had on them. They didn't discuss how helpless they felt, even though Katniss was the Mockingjay and Haymtich one of the leaders of this rebellion.

Katniss went through their plans again, "We'll have training with her every day. Starting on Monday since you two will have your talk tomorrow and I'm pretty sure she won't be up for something at the weekend. I'll challenge her on Monday, see what she's capable of and what we'll have to improve on. I thought about starting off with an hour of running."

"Which will include a lot of walking in between.", Haymitch muttered.

Katniss' voice didn't show any sympathy, she was talking serious business, "She'll have to push through."

"There's no one who can push like Effie", Haymitch answered in the same way that Katniss had spoken before.

"Haymitch, please, that's something I really don't want to know about." Katniss concentrated on the ground, searching for any traces, which could lead her away from the conversation.

Haymitch frowned, "I didn't- … well, that too."

"Haymitch!" Katniss looked disgusted at him.

"I'm not going into details, sweetheart, relax.", Haymitch tried playing it off with a hand-wave. Katniss was still akward, so Haymitch tried reassuring her again, "She'll handle the training somehow. She knows that she has to go beyond her limits and she's willing to do that."

"You know that for sure?" Katniss interjected.

In truth, Haymitch wasn't entirely sure. He had seen glimpses of Effie's determination yesterday evening. He knew something was different, he knew Effie would not show any mercy on herself. But he didn't want Katniss to worry, so he said, "I will take care of it."

Katniss nodded, "OK. After a basic cardio training I thought about some exercise. Like push-ups, sit-ups and so on. To build muscles."

"I approve.", Haymitch said, encouraging Katniss to go on.

"It's about getting her in shape. It'll be easier for her to handle self-defense and weapon training if she has muscles to rely on."

"What weapons are we talking here? Knives? Maybe the bow?" Haymitch was forming the plans Effie had requested of him last night.

"Definitely knives. She should know how to handle a sword too. We'll see about the bow but to handle that properly she needs a whole lot of muscles first. So, that's out for the next few weeks anyways. I'll take her hunting. She needs basic knowledge about edible and toxic plants. Setting up traps. Fire-lightning. Finding water." Katniss' list grew longer and longer, at some point she sighed and paused, "She knows nothing!"

"Nothing yet.", Haymitch couldn't risk his number one choice of a trainer to give up hope already. He made sure she was kept optimistic about it.

"Haymitch, I'm not sure if two months are enough for all of this." Katniss said, doubtfully.

Haymitch could understand the worries. They were hanging all over them, but they couldn't give into the doubt. Once they did, they would be lost. He decided to choose his words carefully, to show his understanding of Katniss' words, "We'll try as hard as we can and hope for the best outcome."

They fell silent for a while. Waiting for some birds to fly by so Katniss could shoot one of them. They listened to the sounds of the forest, which were surprisingly silent. Hardly any wind, so the leaves on the trees didn't make any sound.

Suddenly Katniss raised her voice again, making Haymitch turn in her direction, "You know what the problem is?" Katniss said. "She's not used to starve."

Haymitch nodded at this and added, "She's not used to eating much either."

They looked at each other and came to a mutual understanding that Effie's eating habits would have to change dramatically. In order for her to gain muscles, she had to gain weight, which meant more eating. But Effie was strict about her figure, persuading would be tricky.

The Fact was that she needed the extra kilos for her time in the arena when there wouldn't be sufficient food. The extra fat layer would also help to keep her warm. She'd only have advantages if she gained weight.

The only disadvantage was that she'd need new clothes. For a fashion victim like Effie it was unthinkable to not fit into her beloved dresses anymore. Ridiculous to think she'd abandon all of her clothes. Even though it meant she could buy new ones. Her time of modeling, from being an escort, was still very much enshrined in her. Old habits died hard, but if she didn't change them she might die herself and so would her habits nevertheless.

"You're sure Effie, our Effie Trinket, will agree to putting on weight? Can't you remember the drama we had when she was pregnant? How she cried when she didn't fit into her dresses right after she gave birth?", Katniss asked Haymitch after they discussed Effie's new eating routine.

Haymitch couldn't hide his observations any longer from Katniss. He had to tell her what he had seen last night. "It's different. She's different. The Effie before would have made a scene and would refuse the idea, but this Effie will do whatever it takes."

* * *

"Girls, breakfast is ready.", Effie opened the door to the girls' room slightly and checked if they were already dressed. Daphne was sorting through her schoolbag while Poppy still struggled with putting on her light-blue dress. Effie knelt down to help Poppy. She zipped rhe dress up in the back. Afterwards, she ran her hands through her hair and undid any major knots.

"What are you looking for, my dear?", Effie asked her eldest daughter, while still fixing Poppy's hair.

"I can't find my bracelet", Daphne complained. A sigh left her mouth afterwards.

"What bracelet?" Effie cut in.

"My bracelet!", Daphne said now louder as if her mother should already know what she was talking about. Most of the time Effie knew what her girls were referring to, but this time she had no clue. Her daughters had like herself not only one bracelet but also a small collection of them.

Effie wasn't happy about the tone Daphne used with her, "Daphne, there's no reason for you to raise your voice."

But, Daphne didn't pay much attention to what her mother said and continued looking for the bracelet in her bed, "I had it yesterday. And now it's gone."

"Can you enlighten me?", Effie whispered to Poppy while Daphne emptied her schoolbag on her bed. She thought her younger girl would maybe know what the matter was. However, Poppy just shook her head. She moved away from her mother to leave the room for the kitchen downstairs.

Effie sighed and made her way up to Daphne. She asked softly, "When was the last time you saw it?"

"I remember taking it off for sports in school and putting it in my schoolbag, but I can't remember if I put it on again or not. I'd usually put it on my nightstand, but it wasn't there in the morning."

Effie took all the information in and tried sorting it in her head. "Would you help my memory about this bracelet? Which one was it? The one with the purple beats?"

"Gosh, Mum, I haven't worn that one all week!", there was once again annoyance in Daphne's voice. Effie didn't react to it, she was distracted by how little attention she must have paid if she couldn't remember which bracelet was Daphne's favourite this week. So she asked again, "Which one was it?"

"The one with the dark-blue and white beats. You remember the one Johanna gave me for my birthday.", Daphne said while she sorted through the items on her bed.

"Oh that one. Have you checked your jewellery box already?", Effie made her way to the dresser and had a look through the brightly coloured bracelets, but the blue and white one was nowhere to be found. When she turned around she found Daphne lying on the ground halfway under her bed, looking for it.

"Daphne, dear, we'll look for it in the afternoon properly, I promise, but right now we should get you ready for school."

"But, Mum, what if it's gone?!"

Effie tried calming her daughter down. With carefully chosen words she tried easing the situation before it became a serious drama, "I'm sure it's not far. Just in an usual spot which we can't think of this very minute. I promise you we'll find it. We found everything before and we'll get you the bracelet back too."

Daphne sighed and took her schoolbag with her downstairs. Effie was about to follow her when she decided to check the bathroom for Daphne's bracelet. She had a look through different shelves when she heard someone calling for her fom downstairs. It was Daphne. "Muuuuuum!"

Immediately, Effie hurried downstairs and found Daphne and Poppy arguing. Daphne was pulling at Poppy's hands, where they were pressed against her chest.

"What's going on here?", Effie asked with her reproachful voice. It was the tone she had so often used on Haymitch and anyone who couldn't follow to her standard of manners. It was an effective tool to get her girls' attention, who knew this phrase too well. They knew they had to explain the situation, which Daphne was happy to report, " _Poppy_ took my bracelet."

Effie refused herself to roll her eyes, but it explained Poppy's behaviour from earlier a lot. "First of, you let go off your sister."

Daphne protested, but Effie brought her attention to Poppy, "Why did you that?" She stretched her hand towards her so she would place the bracelet in her hand. However, Poppy didn't do so.

Poppy held the bangle to her dress and argued, "Don't you see how much it matches my dress?"

"I do see how well it goes with your dress, but it's no excuse to take something that belongs to Daphne without asking.", Effie wasn't in the mood to lecture the girls.

"I wouldn't give it to her even if she asked." Daphne interjected. "The last time I did, she broke it."

"However, Poppy, you have to give it back to your sister."

"But, Mummy." Poppy whined and held on to the bracelet tighter. Her head was set on keeping it, which made Effie say, "It's not yours. You have your own beaded bracelets upstairs."

"None like that." Poppy argued. She shifted on the chair.

Even though Effie felt herself getting pushed over the edge by this unnecessary discussion she remained calm and remained objective, "Then you know what you want for your birthday."

"It's so far away and I need the bracelet now."

Poppy didn't let go off and still found arguments. Effie couldn't take it any longer and clenched her teeth. She was about to speak harsher and clicked her tongue first. It was signal that sometimes worked with girls. On this morning it did as well. Poppy stretched her hand with the beaded bracelet towards Effie, who took it and gave it to Daphne. Effie watched her putting it on again and asked her other daughter, "Poppy, my dear, where are your manners? Don't you want to apologize to your sister?"

Poppy sat crossed armed on her chair and said, "I don't."

This time, Effie cleared her throat, which made Poppy speak quickly. She rolled her eyes while mumbling, "I'm sorry."

"And now like you mean it, young lady."

Daphne waited for Poppy's apology, raised her eyebrows and failed at suppressing her satisfied grin.

"Sorry for taking your bracelet without asking, even though it matches my outfit better than yours."

Effie was about to interject when she saw Daphne accepting the apology and shaking hands with her sister. A truce at breakfast, she couldn't ask for more. She placed the girls' mugs of cacao in front of them and started some chitchat about the weekend. She was pleased to have some distraction and didn't waste a second thinking about the talk she was going to have with Haymitch today. She had it sorted out for herself and it made everyday-life with the girls easier, even though it hurt her heart to know she might not be there to solve all the sisterly arguments in the future.

After dropping the girls off at school, Effie took care of some grocery shopping and was now putting them away in the kitchen. She had stopped at Peeta's for some bread and cookies as dessert after dinner.

She was waiting for Haymitch to finally make an entrance. By the dirty dishes next to the sink she could tell that he was already awake and has eaten. He was probably in the shower right now which gave her time to set up a productive talking environment with no distractions.

With a long "So…" Haymitch entered the kitchen and took a seat at the kitchen table and waited for Effie to join him. However, Effie avoided sitting down and rushed from one end of the kitchen to the other. Suddenly she asked, "Tea or coffee?"

"I'm fine."

Effie frowned, "This is hot beverage talk. It's the proper way to do things."

Haymitch disagreed. "Actually it's an alcohol-talk."

"Not at all." Effei argued and took two cups out of the cupboard. "Afterwards maybe. After closing the deal there would be alcohol. But not in this household."

Haymitch sighed. "Then tea."

"You're sure? Tea seems too intimate and comfortable for the kind of talk we're about to have.", Effie thought of every time she shared a cup of tea with Peeta every time they had a heart-to-heart talk, or every time she drank a cup with her girls in the afternoon with a slice of cake.

"Then coffee, because I'm not touching the girls' cacao if there's no liquor in it."

"Coffee it is.", Effie filled some water in the coffee pot, while she mumbled "You're right. Coffee makes it a business meeting. More official."

Haymitch caught it nevertheless and objected her statement, "But it's not."

Effie clicked her tongue in disapproval and was busy preparing the coffee.

"Are we allowed to have some cookies with our coffee?" Haymitch looked at the plate in front of him.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course not!" Effie said while taking the freshly-baked biscuits from the table. She had to slap Haymitch's hand away, who wanted to steal one of the cookies. They were supposed to be for the girls after school.

The coffee pot whistled and Effie started pouring the coffee into the cups. She noticed how her hands shook and hoped Haymitch didn't see it too. Apparently, the conversation weighed more heavily than she admitted to herself.

Finally, she handed him his cup and she sat down opposite from on the other end of the table. Her notebook and a pen were lying there already.

"Sweetheart, can you hand me the milk?"

"Since when have you been taking milk in your coffee?", Effie said while handing him the milk carton.

"The milk's not for me, but for you."

When Haymitch raised an eyebrow, Effie frowned. She didn't like when he treated her like a child who couldn't take care of herself. Haymitch defended his behaviour, "I'm afraid you'll go through the roof if you add black coffee to your nerve-wrecked body."

Effie glared at him and set the milk carton on the table.

"Don't gimme that look! It's a selfish thing for me to say. I hate dealing with your overcaffeinated self. And I came to like a roof over my head. Keeps me dry."

Just to please him, Effie put a sip of milk into her coffee, stirred some and watched the dark brown liquid to lighten half a shade. It would still be considered a very dark brown.

"So…", Haymitch said again.

"So…", Effie imitated him. They both took a deep breath and looked at the coffee cups in front of them. Effie was playing with the spoon and finally added some more milk. It wasn't to satisfy Haymitch, but to keep her occupied and to avoid the talk. She stirred again and took a sip of her lighter coffee. She looked up to meet Haymitch's staring eyes. "Well?", she prompted him to speak first.

Haymitch laid down the plans he had made earlier with Katniss. He explained their strategy and the strict training plan which had to be followed. Effie agreed because she knew that Haymitch and Katniss were the experts in this field. She relied on them a hundred per cent because she knew they were on the same team. In the end, they had the same goal, which was to keep her alive in the arena.

"There will be training every day. Sometimes more, sometimes less, we'll see how your body handles everything.", Haymitch explained the details to Effie.

"Every day? Even on the weekends?", Effie grimaced, "This will cut my time with the girls short. We can't do that, we have to come up with an alternative for the weekend."

"You know this is important. Training is what will get you back here."

"I'm very well aware of that fact, but if I'm not coming back I have to spend time with the girls. I need that. So, we'll compromise here, alright?", Effie asked.

"The daily training is not negotiable."

Effie was able to tell from Haymitch's face impression that he would maintain his position. That's why she had to take a step towards him with suggesting, "Then we have to combine the two."

"The girls and training for an arena? That's not possible."

"What about the survival skills? Staring a fire, knowing about edible plants and climbing trees? We can do that with the girls around. Daphne will be thrilled."

"That could work." Haymitch's face softened again, "But you won't come around you daily round of running in the morning."

Effie just nodded and noted everything in her notebook. When she finished, Haymitch raised the next issue, "And you'll have to put on weight."

"Are you serious?", Effie asked, but Haymitch's expression didn't change, so she answered her own question, "No!"

"It's not negotiable either." Haymitch repeated his words.

However, this time Effie didn't let go off her opinion. "Oh, don't you think so."

"I'm not letting you in there as you are right now." Haymitch growled at her.

"As I am right now? Would you care to elaborate on that? What's wrong with my body? I kept in shape perfectly when you consider I had two children.", Effie refused to believe that her body needed to gain weight. Gaining muscles was not debatable anymore, but anything else was out of reach.

"You're nothing but skin and bones. No fat."

"Which is nothing bad."

"You won't last a day with that. You'll starve at some point, Eff.", Haymitch explained in detail, what he meant "Remember most of the tributes die from natural causes. With no fat you're more likely to die. There are a million other reasons to die in the arena but not because of hunger, you hear me? I don't need you to protest about it. You put on weight and end of discussion."

When Effie saw Haymitch getting passionate about it she knew there was no point in arguing about. She had to give in, but in the end she was persuaded, even though she couldn't imagine putting weight on. "How should I eat as much?"

"You finally eat up. Have dessert. Have snacks and chocolates. Buy the fucking full fat milk. Enjoy eating.", Haymitch listed one thing after the other, gaining speed with everything he said, "I bet there's some food on the list of things you want to do before."

"There are.", Effie admitted to him.

"So what better combination is there? You don't need to hold back when it comes to eating and drinking anymore. You'll need all of the energy you can get. The sport will wear you out."

Once again Effie put the plans down on paper. If they were written down they couldn't be fought about anymore. They had to be set in motion, had to be followed through. Effie was strict about that, what was on the schedule had to be done. It was an easy task.

Haymitch introduced another topic which need to be discussed. "We'll have to find you some allies." He put a list of names on the table, which he had gathered from his research the nights before, "Is there anyone you know?"

After scanning through the names quickly, Efife nodded. "Of course."

"How well?"

"Most of them from the games. We used to be colleagues, but working against each other. It was always competition."

"So noone you would team up with?", Effie didn't answer his question, she was distracted by reading through the names he had written onto the list. She was shocked, when she read the next three, "Octavia, Flavius and Venia are on the list? How can they do something like that?"

Even though they were held prisoners in Thirteen, she thought their involvement in the rebellion would get them excluded of the punishments.

"Are they someone you would team up with?"

"I might give them a call. See if they are up to it, but it was platonic relationship through and through. Business only."

"Once you're in the arena that doesn't matter anymore. Invite them over and see if we can work on strategy with them. They're probably weak and won't stand a chance, but it's better than being alone in there."

Effie swallowed any uncomfortable feelings. She felt like throwing up. She took her coffee cup and brought it up to her lips, but hesitated to take a sip. She decided to place it back on the table and grabbed the milk-carton again. She added a lot of milk to lighten the coffee. It had a beige colour. Now, she was ready to take a sip. While drinking she looked through the list of contestants some more. Most of the last names she recognized from hearing them around the Games.

Haymitch noticed her being silent and studying the list. He knew that she was thinking about whom she had to kill even though she liked them or thought it was too harsh to put them in. He tried distracting her by saying something that had been flying around in his mind while he noted all these names. It was a shimmer of hope, a little hope he tried holding on to and thought it would be good to share it with Effie, maybe she had seen it already too, "Out of all the possible contestants you'd make the best victor."

"Don't say that.", Effie closed her eyes and put the paper aside.

"Look at the list.", Haymitch insisted again, he didn't know Effie was unable to see it, "Someone's daughter or brother won't make a good victor. There aren't many originals on."

Effie hummed at his words, but disagreed by saying, "What about Lucia?"

"The trainer for the tributes? What about her?"

"She'd make a good story too. Being a trainer and knowing about the games. She'll have a good chance.", Effie shrugged.

"Not prominent enough. We should consider her as an ally though.", Haymitch disagreed again and took his cup of coffee in hands as well. He had forgotten all about it while talking. It was still warm and he was relieved to not burn his tongue. He had to use it some more for talking about issues, which still needed to be discussed.

"I've hardly ever spoken to her.", Effie argued.

"Maybe you should start.", Haymitch placed his cup back. Effie didn't answer him so he took the opportunity to come up with the next topic, "Don't you see that sympathies will most likely lie with you? People will root for you. It has nothing to do with the fact that you're friends with the Mockingjay and most of the victors, even though that doesn't hurt." Haymitch paused, "It's your back-story, Effie. It's tragic. Blinded by the Capitol and then held in prison and tortured-"

"I won't talk about that!"

"You should."

"I don't want to."

"You will."

"I won't!"

"You have to."

"No!"

Every time Effie refused the idea, Haymitch's answer got harsher. Eventhough it sounded still calmer than Effie's high voice. Haymitch got tired of every new topic becoming a fight. He hoped for her to put as much energy in proceeding the results as she put in fighting all of his suggestions. However, Haymitch couldn't quite imagine a world in which both Effie and he would agree on something instantly. That's why he had to bring in some killing arguments to end this pointless discussion, "You must if you want to come back. And if these Games are only the slightest like the original ones you have to have a story to sell. That's all these Games are about. For fuck's sake, Effie, you of all people should know that."

Effie agreed with what he said, but still objected to some parts, "Still what happened in the cell is private."

"I'm not asking you to go into _details_."

"But I don't want to talk about in general either."

"Woman, you have no other choice. If you don't do it, you're lost. Then all of this discussing for training was for nothing. You won't stand a chance without a story.", Haymitch took a breath to gain strength to stress the following carefully, "And your story is so good. Capitol puppet, Capitol prisoner and now a member of new Panem's society, having kids with a Quarter Quell victor."

"I won't bring the girls into this."

From Effie's face he could see how shocked she was. Her eyes widened and she had brought one of her hands to her breast as if she had suffered a heart attack. Haymitch tried calming her down by saying, "Just a photo."

"Haymitch, how can you suggest something like that? We said our family is private. You insisted upon it. You almost strangled me with you bare hands when you found out I was going to give the girls' names to a reporter."

Haymitch could remember this very incident very well and was still conflicted about getting the girls into this, but he felt like there was no other choice. "Different circumstances order different actions. We have to play every card we have."

"I don't feel comfortable with this."

"And you think I do?", Haymitch's patience was gone. He couldn't take it any longer that Effie thought he was OK with presenting his girls to all of Panem's population. "I don't want the girls in the press either. I don't want you to talk about prison because I know how hard it was on you. But in this case there's not other option. … Eff, you're the media expert. You know how it works."

"I know indeed.", she paused, "OK, I'll spill it all."

"Good.", Haymitch said after Effie had finally given in. His next suggestion followed immediately. "Best would be to give an interview rather soon. I think we won't be the only ones thinking about it.", he pointed to a newspaper on the table, in which an ex-gamemaker had given a determined interview, "The crowd is waiting for reactions."

"Haymitch, but who do we trust enough to do this?"

There was only one word, one name to answer this question, "Cressida."

* * *

Finally it was Effie's turn to outline her ideas of training, but not for herself, but for Haymitch and the kids. The last days had shown her how the whole family relied on her and was not working to her high standards if she wasn't around. Her biggest fear was that her girls would suffer, so she decided to train Haymitch to be a better father and take over every task of taking care of the girls. Raising children was not an easy job and required certain abilities, like making them lunch for school, braiding and follow certain routines, which the girls had grown already.

"How do you expect me to raise two girls on my own?", Haymitch interjected at some point.

"You're not alone, there's Peeta and Katniss. They'll get instructions too, especially Katniss since she's the only female close by. I'll talk to Annie and Johanna to check in with you on a regular basis and help with the girl stuff."

"Mason?"

Not only Haymitch's voice, but his face expression, made it clear to Effie that he was surprised. That's why she explained her odd choice of a female role model, "The girls adore her. Even though I don't approve of her behaviour all the time, but what can I do?"

"Eff, this is…", he trailed off and rolled his eyes. It made Effie justify her intentions, "I have to make sure that everything will run in orderly fashion. It would kill me to know my girls are no taken care off well enough."

Effie didn't notice her odd choice of words. If she wasn't around, she was already dead and couldn't be killed anymore. Haymitch refrained from pointing that out to her and said instead, "They will be alright."

She caught a softness in the way he said it. He knew that her girls were in good hands. In the end, her girls were his girls and once you're on the list of people Haymitch cared about Haymitch would give everything to protect them. She knew from personal experience what kind of gift that was.

Effie moved on to the next point on her list, which was a list of activities she wanted to do in the next two months. It was a collection of everyday-activities and special somethings like eating a chocolate cake. Haymitch immediately suggested putting a food fight on the list too, which Effie put off with a distracted wave of her hand.

The list included mostly family stuff and over all a lot of cuddling. Moreover, Effie insisted upon having a special day with every one of her four kids and Haymitch, who didn't object to the one-on-one-time since he knew what she intended to do with him on that day.

Suddenly, Effie's mood shifted as she took notes again and added a few things to her list. At the same time, she had already read the next issues, which needed to be discussed and they weren't going to be fun at all. They were not about preparing anymore, but about dealing with the games and their outcome, which resulted in her funeral.

She gave certain instructions for that. One on hand she wanted it to be done in a specific way. On the other hand she wanted to take as much workload from her loved ones as possible. Effie didn't want them to get worked up with decisions about flowers or which music to play at the service. It was all prepared out and only needed to be set in motion.

Effie then concentrated on the days before the games. She suggested going one day earlier into the city, so she could say one final goodbye to her sister and some old friends in town. Even though it meant cutting her time with the girls one day short, but she'd call them from the Capitol. Daphne and Poppy were supposed to stay in 12 with Sea or other trusted friends. Katniss and Peeta had announced to come with them to the reaping, and the government also requested their presence. All the remaining victors had to show up, it would be a big event like the original games used to be.

"I don't want to say goodbye to the girls. Just in case, you know." Haymitch nodded and Effie went on, "In fact, I don't want them to know what happened to me either. It would be too hard to understand. Just tell them it was an accident. Like a car crash or a brick fell onto my head."

"A brick on your head?", Haymitch repeated and couldn't restrain himself from chuckling.

Effie frowned, "It doesn't matter what story you'll come up with - as long as you are comfortable telling it. Besides, it's not like I could be there to complain about it anyways."

"I'll probably gonna stick to the brick."

Effie was getting annoyed with Haymitch for not taking it seriously and tried shifting the topic to a different area, "We should discuss this with the children so you all stick to one story."

"Sweetheart, the girls will have to know the truth someday."

"Right _someday_ , not _right away_.", Effie stressed the words to make Haymitch understand what she meant. She elaborated her answer, "Losing you mother is hard enough, especially at their age. They wouldn't understand the circumstances. It would probably harm them even more."

"But _eventually_ they will have to know."

She nodded at this, "I've taken care of this too. You'll talk to them when they are old enough to understand and process. I will prepare letters which you can give them afterwards."

"Letters saying what?", Haymtich didn't understand yet where she was heading with this.

"Explaining everything.", Effie said it like it was the most natural thing in the world, "Telling them how much I love them and how sorry I am for not being there.", Effie shivered and took a minute to collect herself and get her emotions back in order, "I'll write more of these letters. For special occasions like graduation, birthdays and weddings. I want to be there for them, I want to be part of the big moments. It sounds cliché to do something like that, but usually you don't get a chance to prepare for … it." Effie was avoiding using the word death, even passing seemed to crass. She just said she wouldn't be there. Away like she was on a journey.

Haymitch nodded, "And I have to keep those letters?"

"Obviously not. You're not to be trusted with this. I'll give them to the children."

"Of course."

"I'll prepare letters for them too." Katniss and Peeta deserved the same treatment as her girls. After all, she would miss big moments in their lives too.

"And for me?", Haymitch asked.

It was Effie's turn to laugh, "Like you would want something like that. Like you'd care about something like a letter."

"I wish the same treatment as everyone else. It's only fair, sweetheart."

Effie took her pen and held it in her hand. "I'll put you on the list." She put her hand on the paper, ready to write down his name.

"There's a list?", with Haymitch questioning further, Effie knew he wasn't entirely serious about being put on the list. She was relieved she didn't need to add his name to the list. She leaned back and said confidently, "There's always a list."

Haymitch tried taking a look at the list by leaning over the table. "There are more than four names on it. Who else gets a letter?"

"That's personal", Effie shielded the list with her hands.

"Then I take it personally when I'm not on the list.", Haymitch said. He leaned back as well. It felt like an everyday situation where both of them would banter about little things. It was nothing but a fight of power to see how would give in first.

"I won't waste my precious time on writing letters you won't appreciate."

"Put me on the list.", Haymitch insisted.

"No!", Effie said, but couldn't suppress a smile. The first smile since they had started this talk.

"Just write me _one_ letter. I'm not asking for a massive amount of letters. You'll be able to do one."

Effie hesitated, "You actually want one?"

"Yes. With all the cliché love declarations and meaningless words about loss."

Effie rolled her eyes at this, "My letters are nothing like that."

"No love declarations?"

"Well, for the girls of course, but the letters are still more than that. I'll include photos too. I'll take them in the next few weeks and then in the future the girls will have unseen photos of us. Maybe they can remember the time we took the photo and it will have a greater meaning to them."

Haymitch was quiet for a moment and then lightened the mood again. "You can include a dirty photo for me. Don't need anything else."

His smile was insecure, but Effie returned it nevertheless, "You'd like that."

Haymitch raised an eyebrow. "It won't compare to the original, but better than nothing I suppose."

Effie just looked at him. The smile had faded from her face.

"So, put me on the list!" Haymitch prompted.

Effie still hesitated, but eventually said, "But you won't get the pictures."

"Don't spoil this already, sweetheart. Let me hope for them, will you?"

"OK", she rephrased what she said before, "There _might_ be photos in it."

"Looking forward to it.", Haymitch said, "Is this issue done now?"

"I suppose. We have to sit down with the kids nevertheless and discuss a story and the letters."

Haymitch nodded, "So, we have an outcome. A new to-do-list."

Effie noted their decisions and moved to the last point on her list. "There's one more thing."

"Yeah?"

She was unsure of how to proceed and decided to be direct. "When I go into the arena, I don't want to go in as Effie Trinket."

Haymitch chuckled. "Sweetheart, how's that gonna work? Changing your name?"

"Well. precisely."

"Into what?"

"I was thinking of-", Effie stopped herself and took another moment to find the right words for this. If she wasn't careful in choosing the right words she might not be able to persuade Haymitch, "I want to go in as Effie Abernathy." Haymitch siffened while Effie smiled and continued, "You see, it even rhymes. It's such a lovely sound."

"Are you proposing?" Haymitch blurted out.

"No!"

"Sounded like it."

"But-"

Effie started, but Haymitch interrupted her. "So, you _are_ proposing?"

"We are certainly past these categories. We have been living together for years now." Effie argued and couldn't keep her annoyance down any more. "For Panem's sake, we have children together. Getting engaged now would be preposterous."

"Still, you suggest, we should make it official."

"Indeed."

"So, it's a proposal."

"No, we're past this.", Effie wasn't willing to give in entirely, "Even though, it would only be proper sharing the same surname with my girls."

"With the girls.", Haymitch repeated her last words, which made Effie only role her eyes. She understood the hint and added, "And with the father of my girls. To represent we're a family."

"A name doesn't make a family. You should know that."

"I do. Still, it would be nice, don't you think?"

"Since you are proposing, you should go down on one knee."

Effie shot him a glare. She couldn't believe his behaviour. If she had learned one thing about Haymitch over the years, it was that he didn't give a damn about manners and traditions. He preferred to do things his way rather than the way society asked you to do it.

Haymitch shrugged. "It's only proper."

Effie frowned, but stood up. She couldn't fight him if he used her own words against her. She went around the table and got down on one knee in front of him. Haymitch held his hand out to her and she took in hers. When she locked eyes with him, she asked. "So, what do you think?"

"Best you could do, Trinket?"

"Don't call me that!"

"What a trinket?"

"Yes, that's insulting."

"Well, that's how I can be."

"You're insufferable." Effie let go off his hand.

"Better think twice before proposing and dealing with my rudeness till the end of your life."

"Well, you're right!" Effie couldn't deal with the banter when she was facing an important topic. She didn't want to joke about it. That's why she stood up and left the room.

Haymitch sighed. "Eff."

However, Effie didn't stop at his words and went up the stairs. She heard him calling her again. Not only was his voice louder, but the sound of footsteps made her understand that he had followed her. She turned around and saw him standing in the foyer looking at her. As soon as they locked eyes again, he asked, "You want this?"

She nodded. "I do."

Haymitch exhaled before saying, "If you want it, we can do it, OK?"

Effie nodded again and a smile spread across her face. She took the steps down to him and crashed against his chest. He gathered her in his arms.

After a minute of hugging, Haymitch stated one of his conditions, "But we won't be having a party.".

"Oh, yes, we will.", Effie looked up, but didn't break the embrace. It was only head which she lifted. She had been waiting for this moment for a long tme. She couldn't believe it was finally there.

"But I'm not wearing a tux."

"You absolutely will."

"But I won't dance."

"Just one dance, OK? The official first dance as husband and wife. Then you're off the hook."

"If there's alcohol we can talk about it."

"You won't touch _any_ alcohol when I'm around."

"This is supposed to my day too.", Haymitch argued back.

Effie smiled at this and offered him a compensation that she knew he wouldn't turn down, "I'll make sure the wedding night will make it up to you."

Haymitch nodded and didn't come with any further demands. It was Effie's turn to ask for conditions, "And I want a honeymoon."

Haymitch chuckled, "How's that going to fit into our strict schedule?"

"Just a day or two. You and me and nothing more. Maybe a bed but no clothes.", Effie drew Haymich closer towards her. She roamed her hands over his back. She felt him relaxing at her touch and the thought. He said, "Sounds good to me."

"I thought so.", Effie smiled at him and they fell into a comfortable silence for a few seconds. Haymitch hadn't quite wrapped his head around the idea, but his mind was clear enough to demand on last thing. "There has to be a toasting."

"Wouldn't be a wedding without one."

Effie couldn't stop smiling at this. She noticed Haymitch staring at her. They both were overwhelmed with the situation. They felt the intensity of the moment. Moving was not an option. All Effie could feel was Haymitch's breath on her face. It brought her goose bumps, which made her shiver eventually. That's how her brain got set into motion again and she finally said cheerfully, "You realize that it was actually you who proposed now?"

"Don't get me started on this." Haymitch grimaced at the thought.

"You know, we should probably seal the deal." Effie suggested, "Well, all the deals we made today."

Haymitch ran his hands through Effie's hair to brush it out of her face. He brought his hands down on her shoulder, past her arms and wrapped them around her waist. He brought his lips to Effie's and placed a gentle kiss on them. When Effie was about to deepen the kiss, Haymitch tightened his grip around her waist and lifted her up, which made Effie gasp and then laugh against his lips. She immediately held onto his shoulders tighter and brought her legs up to lock around his hips. They locked eyes and knew instantly that despite the horrible situation they'd be able to handle it.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this super long chapter very much. A fiend of mine, she's a native speaker, checked it for me now, so spelling, grammar and stuff should be OK now.

I want to let you know that I won't update this story probably in the next three weeks because I'm on holiday.

 **In fact, I realized this chapter would make a decent ending because it's an** **open** **ending. I have a strong vision for the story-line and I won't under any circumstances crown Effie a victor. She's tough and a fighter, but I don't see her winning the last Hunger Games. I'll take my time away to think about continuing or not.**

 **And I decided to continue with this story. Not sure when I'll be able to update. Hopefully by the end of next week, I'm not making any promises though.**

Hope you enjoyed this chapter nevertheless and thanks for reading. (:


	8. Plans

**Eighth Chapter: Plans**

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" Katniss casually asked halfway through dinner. She couldn't stand the awkward silence any longer. The six of them were sitting at the table in Haymitch and Effie's kitchen. Haymitch and Effie each sat at the head of the table, while the kids and the girls sat next to each other on the longer sides.

Effie cleared her throat. "We have an important announcement to make which affects all of us."

Peeta and Katniss looked at each other. They knew what it was going to be about, so they decided to stop eating and laid their fork and knives aside.

"Do you want to or should I?" Effie asked Haymitch. Her voice sounded unsure, but at the same time cheery. Too cheery for Peeta's taste. He reached for his glass of water.

"I'm sure you're better at it." Haymitch encouraged her.

"True. Well, girls..." Effie addressed Daphne and Poppy, who had been concentrated on eating the whole time. Poppy wasn't really eating, but she instead sorting her peas by size. They looked up now and watched her mother struggling to find the right words. Peeta used the time to take a quick sip of his water, but then Effie decided to spill the news with a wide smile. "Haymitch and I are getting married."

Katniss was shocked and looked back and forth between Haymitch and Effie. Daphne's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open, while Poppy practically bounced up and down on her seat. She was excited and grinned at them. Peeta choked, coughed a few times and finally managed to say, "When?"

"We were thinking five weeks from now."

"So soon?" Poppy shrieked and jumped onto her chair.

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "Calm down, sweetheart." He tugged at her arm to make sure she sat down again and didn't hurt herself in her outburst of joy.

"But, Daddy, this is wonderful news. We have to jump." She lectured him in a way he was familiar with. The girls sometimes took after their mother too much.

"After dinner, we'll jump." He promised her. In the meantime Poppy had crawled into his lap to give him a hug. She had to share her excitement differently if she wasn't allowed to jump.

Peeta smiled too. "Congratulations you two."

"Yeah, congrats. This is unexpected." Katniss chimed in and searched Haymitch's eyes to make sure it wasn't a joke. He just shrugged and smiled at Effie, who gave her thanks to Katniss and Peeta.

"That's really great, Mum." Daphne finally said. Effie reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thank you, my dear."

"How will you plan a wedding in only five weeks? Doesn't it usually take like months?" Katniss asked.

"Don't look at me." Haymitch said. Poppy was still sitting on his lap and he shoved a fork full of peas into his mouth to escape the conversation.

Effie understood the hint and interfered. "It will be a simple wedding. It should be manageable."

"What is simple, Effie?" Peeta cut in. They all knew how a party turned out when Effie said she'd keep it simple. "White horses?"

"Don't be preposterous. Of course not!"

"Well, you never know with your 'simple' standards." Peeta justified.

"True-true." Haymitch added with amusement, which made all of the girls except for Effie laugh.

"It will be a small, simple ceremony." Effie said. "Twenty guests tops, probably less."

"Are we going to be flower girls?" Poppy was still filled with excitement. Haymitch struggled to keep her on his lap.

"I insist upon it. Which also means new dresses."

Poppy and Daphne exchanged smiles.

"Do we have a say in colours?" Daphne asked, immediately.

"You will, but no black, no white and _no yellow_ , Daphne." Effie stressed the last colour.

"But, Mum!" Daphne protested.

"You know well enough how horrible your sister looks in yellow."

"Do we have to have matching dresses?" Daphne gasped.

"That's the intention, yes."

"No, no, no, Mum, not happening." Daphne shook her head wildly.

Katniss and Peeta giggled. They enjoyed the little play they got to see for free.

"No, I don't want the same dress as her either." Poppy protested as well and got off Haymitch's lap to make her way towards her mother.

Effie locked eyes with Haymitch and he said, "Well, then your mother and I will think twice about inviting you."

"But we have to be there." Daphne said.

"Where is that stated? Have you read that somewhere, Haymitch?" Effie asked in a theatrical voice. It was obvious to Katniss and Peeta that they were playing a trick on their daughters.

"Never heard about it either." Poppy and Daphne pouted, so Haymitch gave in. "You two better watch out and keep the drama down, otherwise you'll not be at the wedding."

Poppy gasped, while Daphne hinted an empty threat. She challenged them by crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You wouldn't do that."

"Try me." Haymitch said simply.

Before it got out of hand, Effie said, "I'm sure we'll find dresses which match, but aren't the same style. However, I'd rather worry about my dress than yours, my dears. Since I'm the bride."

Daphne seemed pleased and said, "Deal. You first and then me and Poppy."

"Well, what about us?" Katniss tried playing an offended little child as well.

"Oh, gosh, we haven't told you yet. We have some really special roles for you. Haymitch, maybe you want to-"

Haymitch understood the hint and carried on, "We want you to be the maid of honour and the best man."

"Oh, I'd be honoured." Peeta said with affection.

Katniss was more hesitant. "You're sure?"

Both Effie and Haymitch nodded, which made both Katniss and Peeta stand up. Peeta hugged Effie, while Katniss shared a hug with Haymitch.

"Are you aware that we meant the other way around?" Effie asked.

"Oh yes." Katniss laughed and went towards Effie to give her a hug as well. Peeta was hesitant to hug Haymitch at first, but he eventually drew him in. Effie was suppressing tears. Even though Effie's hug with Katniss was long over, she kept her arm around Katniss' waist. The adults were swept away by their emotions.

"How about we skip to dessert already? We have to celebrate." Peeta suggested.

"Can we do the jumping before?" Poppy was eager to dance out her happiness. She was standing on her chair again.

Haymitch picked her up, which made her squeal. He growled. "Let's get it over with."

* * *

On Monday morning, Katniss was standing with Effie in her training outfit in the front yard. She clapped her hands together. "So, we're going to start off with a warm-up. Running sound good to you?"

"Fine." Effie nodded and started running down the road, but stopped after a few steps, when she noticed Katniss wasn't following her. "You're not coming?"

Katniss frowned. "Why would I?"

"To make sure I'm running? And not taking any shortcuts?"

"You're old enough to be trusted with your warm-up." Katniss looked at the set of knives she had brought along and inspected them. Her mind was on the knife-training that Effie would have to do after her warm-up.

"I won't go alone. I thought we'd use the time to talk."

"About what?" Katniss blurted. She was already annoyed.

"Very important issues." Effie glared. She couldn't believe Katniss was acting as ignorant. She added, "And I probably need someone to kick my ass."

Just then Haymitch came out of the house and was amused to hear these words. "I volunteer for that job."

Katniss chuckled. "Like you'd be able to handle an hour of running."

"I still beat you at everything else." Haymitch snapped back.

"So? You're coming, Katniss?" Effie asked impatiently, while walking towards her again.

"You were going to let her do the running on her own? This was not part of the plan. You said you'd take care of her training."

"I will. I told her to go running." Katniss explained, but received nothing but a glare from Haymitch. "What? Do you want me to go with her?"

"Yes. This is an important time to discuss things. We've talked about it. Instructions on survival. Does that ring a bell? No time should be wasted."

"What about the knives?"

"Let me handle them."

"What?"

"I'm the expert on knives. You do the warm-up." Haymitch and Katniss stared at each other and, in the end, the formerly established roles still played. Haymitch was after all the mentor, who knew best, who she could and had to rely on. She obeyed him. "OK. I'm going."

However, Haymitch still disagreed with her plan. "I want to see you running!"

Katniss rolled her eyes and joined Effie. Like Haymitch had suggested, they used the time to talk strategies and how she should act in an arena. Even though Effie had been involved with the games, she hadn't paid much attention to actual survival skills. It hadn't been her department. She had cared more about the tributes well-being and their appearance.

Another one of Haymitch's predictions came true. Every so often they had to stop running so Effie could catch her breath again. Katniss, however, gave her only a few seconds and managed to motivate her to push a little more, to run one more minute, then another one and then the next one. Katniss understood now why she had to be there. Effie needed the personal care.

Right now, Effie was crouching and panting heavily. With every breath she drew in, her lungs hurt more. Her stomach hurt too because she had a stitch. Her knees were wobbly.

"Effie, we're almost back home. Just a couple more minutes. You can already see the houses." Katniss pointed down the hill.

"Katniss. I-"

"Come on! Imagine this is the arena and someone's running to kill you."

Effie shook her head.

Katniss knew she had to push a few of Effie's buttons. Her voice was harsher, when she said the following, "Get up now! We'll play a game. I'm another tribute, I'll run after you to catch and kill you. I count to 20, that's how much lead you get. The goal is to make it home before me."

"Katniss, I don't-"

"One. Two." Katniss had to be strict about this. She used one of the strategies Effie would use on the girls sometimes.

When Katniss reached number three, Effie realized Katniss wasn't joking and she started running again. She took one step after the other, she wasn't even sure she could run any more. Then, she heard Katniss screaming after her. "Twenty! Is that the fastest you can go?" Katniss steps approached her. "Faster, Effie, faster, I'll get to you in no time."

Effie couldn't feel her feet anymore. She concentrated on reaching the house, which was just around the corner. She was almost there. She focused on that and not on Katniss shouting something.

She reached the gate to victor's village, when Katniss caught her. "Not bad, but not good enough."

Effie's step turned slower and she dragged herself in the front yard. She was out of breath and leaned forward to reduce the pain in her stomach. Her head throbbed and she knew she was close to fainting. She had gone beyond her limit and as she thought that her body supplied the proof. She threw up just there in her beloved flowers next to the gate. When she realized it were primroses, she got even sicker. She coughed a few times after it and straightened up again. She saw Haymitch and Katniss watching her.

"She should drink something." Katniss neared Effie and patted her back. "You did well."

"I don't feel like it." Effie wiped her mouth.

"Here, some isotonic drinks. Should help you recover soon." Haymitch handed the girls a bottle.

Effie took it wordlessly and went to freshen up in the house. When she returned, Katniss and Haymitch were engaged in a conversation, knives were lying between them. They only looked up when Effie cleared her throat to announce her presence.

"Ready for the next part? We'll do push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping-jacks. All those kinds of stuff. You're in?"

"How can I get out of it?" Effie mumbled and followed Katniss' lead again. This part of the training wasn't any easier. She couldn't fight the tears when Katniss wanted her to do yet her fourth set of 30 sit-ups. Every time she had to sit up, her stomach hurt more, but she didn't give up and worked through the pain. It was something she had learned in her imprisonment. Pain doesn't kill you. She wasn't sure if it made her stronger though.

After yet another painful hour of training, she was relieved to see that the next hour would be used to instruct her on how to use a knife and where to put it when she wanted to slice someone's throat. They talked about where to store a knife, so that she wouldn't hurt herself. Effie had to try everything out to actually understand and learn. Having a knife in her hand that was not supposed to cut your food felt strange, and wearing one close to her hip felt even stranger.

After Haymitch finished his instruction, Katniss asked him. "Have you got what we talked about?"

"It's in the backyard." Haymitch gestured his head in that direction.

Katniss looked excited and went to get it. Effie could do nothing but watch. She couldn't believe her eyes when Katniss brought a chicken back. A living chicken. As she sat it free, Katniss said to Effie, "Catch it!"

"What?" Effie looked at Haymitch.

"You heard her. Catch it."

Effie still looked at them disbelief and waited for one of them to tell her it was a joke. When they didn't, she exhaled and lifted her head up. Catching a chicken was not something she thought she'd be doing. She neared the chicken slowly and knelt down to stretch a hand in its direction.

When she thought she had the chicken's trust, she took another step towards it, which made the chicken jump away another meter. She tried the same strategy for a good ten minutes and then decided to hide behind a tree. There, she waited another 10 minutes for the chicken, but the it decided to head in a different direction.

That's when Effie decided to run towards it. She tried being quicker than the chicken, which resulted in a wild run around the garden. At some point the chicken jumped over the fence and Effie didn't hesitate to jump over it too. She was set to catch the chicken and didn't care how she must have looked, when she had leaped over the fence. The chicken annoyed her more and more and it drove her crazy that she hadn't caught it yet.

She cornered the chicken by the wall at the gate-way and finally caught it. She squeezed it in between her knees, she took the knife out of her belt, overstretched the chicken's throat and sliced it open with one swift motion. Effie sounded pissed when saying, "There you go. And can you now tell me the reason behind this chickendance?"

Katniss and Haymitch had followed her and looked now pleased at each other. They were nodding. "We had to see if you were able to kill. And you are, sweetheart." Haymitch said calmly.

Effie looked down to the dead chicken. Her hands were full of blood and suddenly disgust overcame her. The sight of blood and her deed made her suddenly sick to the stomach all over again. She dropped the knife to the ground and left for the bathroom quickly.

"Effie, come back! We have to do some stretching, otherwise your muscles will be sore tomorrow." Katniss called after her, but Effie couldn't care less about her muscles. Instead, her head was spinning. She couldn't believe what she was capable of doing.

* * *

Whenever Effie could spare time, she helped Peeta at his bakery. Business had picked up over the years and it was especially busy in the morning. After the morning rush a loop followed, before the bakery got busy around lunch time agian. Peeta used the time to start a conversation. "Effie, you don't have to be here and help me. Shouldn't you be out with Katniss to train?"

"I want to be here. Besides, my muscles hurt all over. I can't move, even if I wanted to." Katniss had been right about the stretching after all. They decided against an extensive training to let Effie's body recover from yesterday's strain.

"Then use the time to spend it with the girls." Peeta didn't want Effie to waste time with standing in a bakery to sell bread.

"I want to be here." She reassured him.

"You're sure?"

"Yes, absolutely. I told you I would help you out in the bakery every once in a while. I don't want you to hire someone if I'm still around." Effie argued.

Peeta nodded, but couldn't shake off any disagreement. He said, "But eventually I should hire someone."

Effie held her breath for a moment and said quieter. "Of course."

Peeta swallowed. "How are you doing anyways?"

"As long as I have something to do it's fine." Effie knew a short answer wouldn't satisfy Peeta, so she elaborated. "As long as I'm occupied with something, I can deal, because there's no time to think about what might be in two months. I refuse to think about it. I have thought about it already and I came up with plans, which I follow through now. It's an easy task. I won't give in to the tears."

"Effie, but if you have to…" Peeta trailed off.

"I know." She locked eyes with Peeta. "But it won't be necessary."

* * *

"Thanks for coming all the way to Twelve." Effie shared an awkward hug with Octavia. They hadn't seen each other in the past 10 years. No phone-calls or cards for each other's birthday. Effie wasn't even sure how old Octavia was.

"Well, these circumstances force me to, don't they?" Octavia said.

Effie nodded and led her into the house. She asked Octavia to have a seat in the kitchen, where they found a cake Peeta had prepared for the occasion. They looked at each other and didn't know how to start the conversation, but they were interrupted when two girls stumbled into the kitchen.

"Mum, we-" Daphne stopped when she saw a stranger in the kitchen.

Effie clicked her tongue. "Daphne, Poppy, what are you still doing here? You are supposed to be at Peeta's."

"Yeah, we- erm- We forgot something." Daphne held a board game in her hands and chewed on her bottom lip, while Poppy held on to her stuffed rabbit.

Effie pursed her lips and said, "Where are your manners, my dears. Don't you want to greet my friend Octavia?"

After Daphne and Poppy had come closer and said their hellos, Effie told them, "Now go. We'll see you in the evening and then you can ask Octavia all about her purple hair and long eyelashes."

"Promise?" Poppy asked.

"Sure. You can even touch it." Octavia said, while making sure her hair was still in place.

Poppy and Daphne left and when Octavia and Effie heard the door close, Octavia said, "They are precious."

"Sometimes they can be." Effie took the coffee pot. "Do you have children?"

Octavia smiled politely. "I get that question all the time. I'm 32 years old, I'm certainly in the right age, but-"

"I was 38 when I had Daphne, 40 with Poppy, you still have time."

"I might or-" Octavia swallowed. "I probably might not have the time anymore. Even though I'd have the right man for it, but it never seemed right and if- you know I'm relieved I don't have any."

Effie didn't know how to respond to that and set the coffeepot backdown. "Well-"

"I didn't mean. I- I'm sorry, Effie." Octavia said sincerely.

"That's alright." Effie said. She took the coffeepot again and brought it over to the table. She poured some coffee in the cups.

"So, do you still see Venia?" Effie tried to see if another ally would be in her cards, but Octavia destroyed that hope right away.

"She was pardoned."

"Why?"

Octavia shrugged. She still struggled with the unfairness of the situation. Her bottom lip started to wobble and with a weak voice she explained the circumstances. "She played along and got a job with the rebels after the war. Very important job, she can't be fired anymore. I don't understand. She was held captive like me, she stole bread in Thirteen and- Maybe she was a rebel all along, like Cinna. Maybe we never knew. Maybe it was all a role. I'll never understand."

Now it was Effie, who felt bad about asking something, but she had to do it all over again, to gain information about another person. "What about Flavius? How's he doing?"

"I don't know. We haven't had much contact after- It was somehow harder for him."

"Harder?"

"He struggled with the new Panem. The system. The new rules. He never forgave the rebels for how they treated us."

Before Effie could reply, Katniss and Haymitch entered the kitchen to talk about what really mattered. Strategies.

* * *

"Rise and shine. Time to get up, my dears." Effie pitched in her high voice. It was bright and early when Effie entered the girls' room and pushed the curtains open. Daphne growled. "Mum, why? I want to sleep."

"Don't be silly. You can sleep another time."

"No!" Daphne turned around and put the blanket over her head to stay in darkness.

Effie sat on her bed and tried pulling the blanket slightly away from her face. She leaned over her and nuzzled her hair. "Honey, it's time to wake up."

"No." Daphne complained again.

Effie chuckled in return. Usually on the weekends, the girls would wake Haymitch and her in the morning. They would jump on the bed and talk their ears off. For once it was the other way around and Effie enjoyed every second of it.

Yesterday Poppy and Daphne were allowed to stay up longer since they had a visit from Octavia. She had shown them her makeup and done the girls' hair as well. They got along easily and the girls were sad to see when Octavia had to leave Twelve with the midnight train.

"The sun's out and we have big plans today." Daphne growled again, while Effie patted her hair.

"Let me guess it's a big, big, big day." Daphne turned around to face her mother finally. Behind the blanket she was hiding a smile since she knew her mother didn't like it when she imitated her. She looked at Effie with sleepy eyes.

"No. It's not." Effie simply replied and got up to wake Poppy, who still hadn't moved yet. There was hardly anything that could wake Poppy up except for needing the toilet, a nightmare or loud thunder. Effie sat down on the mattress and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. She placed a kiss on her forehead and then said, "Poppy, my dear, it's time to get up."

Poppy shifted under her touch and reached for Effie's hand, which she held out of reflex as close as her stuffed animals. Poppy moved some more and her head ended up on Effie's lap. Effie smiled and patted her head, while she said, "Poppy, the sun's out already and you should get up now."

Poppy mumbled her answer, but judging by the tone of her voice it was something disagreeing. Poppy only held closer to Effie, who eventually gave in, "Ok, five more minutes of cuddling." She pulled the blanket up to scoot under it. Poppy immediately resettled, so she could snuggle against her mother.

As soon as Effie was settled in the bed, she heard a disapproving "Hey!" coming from the other side of the room. It was Daphne protesting. Effie turned her head and stretched her arm in a well-known manner in Daphne's direction, who took the offer up willingly. She brought her Teddy along and crawled into Poppy's bed next to her mother, who scooted to make room for her. In the process, Poppy got pressed against the wall. She protested and claimed back the space in _her_ bed for herself and all her stuffed animals.

So, Daphne ended up lying on top of Effie, but she didn't mind. Effie enjoyed having her girls close. She ran her fingers through their hair and enjoyed the peace. As she noticed the girls drifting back to sleep, she allowed herself to close her eyes too.

Just when she was about to fall asleep, she heard someone clearing his throat. The noise made her eyes open again. She saw Haymitch leaning against the door-frame. He was smiling, yet there was a disapproving look, which she would have given him if he failed to comprehend an easy task like waking up the girls and doing something entirely different.

"I don't like interrupting the gathering, but I'm here to inform you that breakfast is ready." Haymitch liked to mock Effie, imitating her posh mode of expression.

The girls stirred a little at their father's words, but didn't seem like they would get up any time soon. Instead, they snuggled closer against Effie. So Haymitch decided to use another strategy. "I made some of the cacao with marshmallows, but I think since no one is there to drink it I might replace it with Camomile tea. Makes so much more sense when I think about it now."

"Camomile tea?" Poppy sat up instantly. "No!"

"No? But, Camomile is you favourite, sweetheart."

"In what world?"

"The upside down one maybe?" Haymitch leaned down to pick Poppy up. He turned to Effie. "You're coming too?"

"Just give me a minute with this sleepy head here."

"Take all the time you need, but I can't guarantee that the cacao won't be replaced with Camomile tea."

"I heard you the first time you said it, Dad." Daphne mumbled.

"And you want me to switch it?"

"I don't mind." Daphne buried her face in Effie's chest.

Effie and Haymitch exchanged amused looks. They remembered Daphne's face when she was forced to drink Camomile tea when she was sick in winter.

"Daddy, I want my cacao now!" Poppy said.

"Bossy like her mother." Haymitch said and glanced again down at Effie, who replied, "I raised them right."

Haymitch refused to answer and took Poppy downstairs.

Effie let Daphne relax a little more on her and patted her back. Daphne wasn't usually as clingy as this, so Effie enjoyed it even more. After lying there for another five minutes, Effie decided it was time to get up. She hugged Daphne tighter and brought her hands to her hair to get it out of her face. She had a look at her and kissed her forehead. "Daphne, my dear, as much as I enjoy this, we have to get up. We have plans."

"It's Sunday."

"Sunday." Effie started to nuzzle Daphne's hair again. "Funday." She placed a kiss on her head. "Family-time, yes."

"I don't want to."

Effie chuckled. "You're behaving like a teenager, young lady."

"I'm tired." She muffled her voice against Effie's neck.

"As soon as I tell you we'll go the meadow today, you will be up in no time."

"We are?" Daphne looked up to meet her mother's gaze.

"Yes, and we'll try some tree climbing?"

"What? But you always tell me it's too dangerous."

"Well, it still is, but … I want to try it myself."

"You're kidding, Mum?"

"No, I- " Effie paused. It sounded ridiculous what she was about to say. "I want to climb a tree."

"Have you lost another bet against Katniss?" Daphne smirked.

"Certainly not. You know that I win my bets against Katniss all the time."

"Except for that one time."

"Oh, that bet was worth losing."

They shared another smile, remembering when Katniss and Effie bet whether the girls could persuade Haymitch to dress up like a unicorn. Effie couldn't believe her eyes when she saw him coming down with a toilet paper roll attached to his forehead and glitter all over him. She burst into laughter right in that second and dropped the teacup she was holding. She didn't mind paying Katniss up after that show.

Effie was torn from her thoughts when Daphne asked, "Do you think Dad was serious about the Camomile tea?"

"Let's get up and find out." Effie pushed Daphne off her and they both got out of bed.

"And you were serious about the tree climbing as well?"

"Yes."

"What a weird day." Daphne mumbled and Effie couldn't stop smiling.

* * *

"OK, these trees don't look bad for a climb. What do you think, Daphne?" Katniss said.

"Could work. Loads of branches. Look thick enough to hold us." Daphne knocked against the wood.

"Then, who goes first?"

"What a question, me!" Daphne rolled her eyes and reached for the closest bough. She climbed to the top within minutes, not once looking down. So she didn't catch the frightened look on her mother's face. Poppy watched her sister with concern as well. She studied how she had climbed to the top and was now lying on one of the branches. Her feet dangled down, while she almost hugged the tree tightly. "Who's next?!"

"Poppy?" Katniss pointed to the next tree.

Poppy whimpered as she looked up at the tree's crown. She frowned. "I don't know if I can make it."

"I'll be there all the time. Nothing will happen to you. And if you get stuck, I'll come up and get you." Katniss promised her and then picked her up to help her reach the first branch of the tree.

"Look to your right, Poppy, that's the best way." Katniss instructed her while she made sure to stand right under her. If she fell, she could catch her. Effie watched with unease. She wasn't sure if it did Poppy any good when she was forced to do something she was clearly uncomfortable with. At the same time, she herself was forced to do things she wasn't comfortable with either.

When Poppy was halfway up, she sat close to the tree trunk to wrap her legs around it. She looked like a monkey. "That's enough, Katniss, isn't it?"

"That's alright, my dear." Effie reassured her. She could see the distress on Poppy's face.

"Now it's your turn, Mum!" Daphne shook a branch so the leaves rustled.

Effie looked at another tree and reached for the closest branch, which was about the height of her chest. She didn't know how she should get one of her legs onto it. She tried what she remembered from her gymnastics lessons. The uneven bars were never her thing, but she remembered how to mount it. It was a glide kip forwards. Nothing too difficult. Anybody could do it. She swung under the tree and tried getting her legs up as high as possible. She failed at gaining enough height and dropped down again.

"Effie, you-" Katniss tried giving suggestions, but Effie cut her short. "Katniss, please, it was my first try. I know what I'm doing."

Effie tried again and succeeded in being on the branch in a front support lean. She looked proudly at Katniss, who sighed.

"You know, you could have just jumped on it like that? Jump and pull at the same time?"

"Wouldn't have looked as good as that."

"It's not about how good it looks, more how fast you can do it. You know that?"

"I'll remember it."

"Good." Katniss snapped back.

"Besides, when the branch is higher, I won't be able to jump it, I have to do a glide kip forward."

"A what?"

"Katniss, please." She pursed her lips.

"Well, fair enough." She studied how Effie hung on the branch, swinging her legs under it.

"What's your next move?"

"I wonder if I'm still able to perform a backward giant."

"This is neither the place nor the time for that."

"You can do that, Mum?" Daphne was climbing down to have a better look.

"I want to see it too." Poppy chimed in.

"I'm not sure if it works with these thick branches. But I'll try."

While Effie showed off as many tricks as she could remember, Katniss returned to the men to get some help getting Effie back on track for training. She couldn't talk openly to her with the girls around. When she told Haymitch and Peeta what was going on, Haymitch burst into laughter. He couldn't believe that Effie could do things like that. They reached the tree when Effie performed another backwards giant easily. The girls were cheering her on.

"Sweetheart!"

All three of them turned their heads in Haymitch's direction. They saw confusion across his face.

"What the fuck is happening here?" Haymitch asked.

"Haymitch, how often do I have to tell you not to swear in front of the kids."

"Yes, Daddy, how often does she have to tell you that?" Poppy grinned at him.

"Oh, Poppy, hush- " In the process of turning in Poppy's direction she lost balance and fell to the ground, which made the others laugh. Effie took a moment to stand up and remove the dirt from her pants.

"You OK, Effie?" Peeta asked and took a few steps towards her. She nodded in response.

Daphne ran up to her father. "Did you know that Mum could do all these tricks?"

"No."

"Daphne, not even I knew I could still perform them." Effie said.

"It's very impressive, Mum."

"I can show you."

"Maybe another time, sweetheart." Haymitch looked at Effie.

"Your father's right. Another time, but soon, I promise. I was just avoiding to actually climb that tree."

"So, our help's not needed anymore?" Peeta put his hands against his hips.

"Actually, could you stand under the tree, just in case I fall down. I don't trust that one to catch me." Effie pointed towards Katniss.

"You won't fall down, Effie." Katniss growled.

And Katniss was right after all. Effie didn't fall down the tree. She showed her different strategies to climb a tree, how to sit on trees, and how to lie on a tree. She showed her how to recognize if a branch would hold her weight and when not. They tried climbing different trees and held races every so often. Daphne won them all, but Effie was surprised to see she could keep up with her for some time and even beat Poppy who just lacked height to go as fast as her sister.

After lunch, Katniss brought a rope to show the girls and Effie yet another way to climb trees. Katniss was pleased to see Effie was a quick learner and relieved to notice that the muscle built up over the week had worked so far.

In the late afternoon, Katniss suggested starting a small bonfire to roast some marshmallows, which gave her the perfect excuse to show Effie which wood should be used and how to build a bonfire to get it started with just one match. Daphne was excited about it, while with her mother being interested in it too even made Poppy show some interest.

All the family enjoyed the fire and the roasted marshmallows, so they decided to have dinner here too. Because the leftovers from lunch would leave them starving, Katniss took Effie for a walk through the woods to find some edible plants, berries and with some luck mushrooms.

After dinner, they enjoyed the peace of the meadow some more and watched the sun set. As the cooler air hit, Poppy snuggled against her mother to search for some warmth. Eventually, the day's exercise and excitement caught up with Poppy and she fell asleep on Effie. But Effie didn't mind, since it gave her an excuse to not help pack up with the others.

As Haymitch helped her get up, whilst still holding on to Poppy, he asked, "You're OK carrying her home? I can take her."

"Yes, I'm fine. That little monkey doesn't weigh anything."

"Eff, she's not as tiny as she used to be."

"And your back is not as good as it used to be." Effie countered and joined Katniss, Peeta, and Daphne. Haymitch picked up the blanket and shoved it into a bag. He mumbled something in disapproval and picked up the remaining bags.

They took off for their walk home and, eventually, Effie needed to pause to readjust her grip on Poppy. Haymitch offered again to take her. "Effie, please, we can switch."

"It's fine. I can handle it." Effie growled through her teeth. She couldn't stand that Haymitch had to harp on about that subject. It upset her how he just assumed she wouldn't be able to carry her own daughter home. But every now and then she had to take a stop to adjust her grip on Poppy. The others waited for her, which annoyed her even more and at the fourth time she snapped at them. "Will you just go? I will catch up."

When Effie didn't catch up the next time and they couldn't see her in the dark anymore, Katniss and Peeta started to worry and made their way back. They were relieved to find Effie with Poppy not too far.

"Effie, hand Poppy over." Peeta stretched his arms towards her.

Effie shook her head.

"We're only halfway home, Effie, it's OK. I'll take here from here." Peeta took Poppy from Effie, who was close to tears. Peeta made his way to Haymitch and Daphne.

Katniss knew Effie needed some comfort now and laid an arm around her. "It's alright, Effie. You've been doing so well all day."

"Still, I couldn't carry her home. My own girl. My own little girl. I won't make it in the arena."

"We've only been training for a week now and you carried her halfway, after an exhausting day. That's impressive." When Effie didn't calm down, Katniss had to find some more words of comfort. "Don't worry. Training is kicking in. It will need a little more time. And in two months, I promise you, you'll be able to carry her all the way."

Effie looked up to meet her gaze.

"And you know that I don't break promises."

* * *

Anyone happy that I decided to continue? I certainly am. I enjoy seeing Effie and the others dealing with the Games back and spoiler-alert the reaping is still like five chapters away. All in all, if everything goes according to plan, we're right now half-way through this story.

And, special thanks to my dear friend S., who had a look through this chapter to make it sound a lot posher than my actual English.

See you all hopefully very soon for the next chapter! Good night/good morning and auf Wiederlesen.


	9. The Interview

**Ninth Chapter: The Interview**

"Hello and welcome to yet another interview of one of the possible tributes for the very last Hunger Games. So far, we've seen very interesting personalities; from stylists to game makers and, of course, their family who's destined to enter the arena for them. Our next guest will be an original. She's only 45, so she can't escape the Games by sending a beloved in. In most of Panem's memory she might not stick out immediately, but for the people in Twelve, where she lives now, she played a significant role during the Hunger Games. She was District Twelve's escort and the rest of Panem may recall her bright outfit from the replays of Katniss Everdeen's reaping. Now she might be able to experience what it must feel like to be reaped. With me today is the one and only Effie Trinket."

* * *

 ** _one hour earlier_**

"You'll do it like we discussed. Stick to your story, show emotions, but don't ever show weakness. We need you determined. Make the audience believe you understand why you're in the games without criticizing it." Haymitch said while looking Effie in the eyes. He made sure she was focused and understood what he said.

"I know. You don't have to repeat yourself again." Effie turned her head towards a mirror to have a look at her outfit.

"This is important, Eff." Haymitch reminded her.

"Please stop repeating yourself. You sound like a broken record." Effie said while smoothing down her skirt.

"One wrong word and you're out. Are you aware of that?" Haymitch raised his voice. He couldn't believe she actually said that to him.

"I am." Effie reassured him and pulled on her blazer's sleeves.

"So, don't you criticize the games. You hear me?"

Effie turned in his direction, when she snorted back. "I shall not criticize these horrible games which take me away from my family? That sounds just about right."

"One little glimpse of doubt and you're out. People like to see you humble."

"Should I be _thankful_ now?"

"Effie, no arguing right now. You need to be calm. This could be your deciding moment. If you make a mistake now, it's over. It could kill you or make you survive. Every situation concerning these Games is important. And there's no way I'll let you make your killing mistake at the first hurdle. There are pitfalls all over these Games, but this won't be the one. It's not necessary. Before the arena you have to be flawless. We'll never know how you'll act in the arena, if you realize another tribute is approaching you, if you move in the right direction in general. But giving this interview shouldn't break your neck." Haymitch said, urging her away from the mirror towards a corner. He did so to get her full attention on the subject and not on her looks.

"Don't put more pressure on me than there already is. I know how high the stakes are. I know!" She empathized the last words by saying them louder than she usually would.

"You just don't act like it."

"Give me some credit here."

Haymitch hesitated. "It just seems like I'm talking to a deaf person."

"I can't hear it anymore since we've discussed it a million times. Trust me already!" She pushed on his shoulder to make her way back to the mirror.

"This is like reversed roles." He spurted after her. "This is important, sweetheart, I need you a 100 per cent on this. A 100 per cent your role, for our story."

"For _my_ story." Effie hissed. "But no matter what my opinions don't matter. I hate this. I don't want to do it like this. I want to give all Panem my thoughts and how I disagree with this. It's lies and the untruth."

Haymitch watched how Effie got angrier with every word she said. At the same time, she threw her hands in the air to add a little drama to her words. Haymitch couldn't take it and retorted, "It's a television-show."

"And propaganda all over again." She paused. "You really think this one game will be enough`? There'll be more."

"There won't." Haymitch held her gaze to make her believe him.

"How can you be so sure?" She stepped closer to him. "It's the perfect event to keep everyone who is a danger to the system in control. No misbehaving possible. It's effective. Paylor and her team, all the _rebels_ , are no different from Snow and his team." She was only inches away from Haymitch. She made sure he caught every word she said. "Yes, I may have been one of Snow's believer, but in the end, _you rebels_ , are not better than us."

Haymitch refused to argue any of what she said, but pointed something out that he thought she implied. He said it calmly, yet with emphasis. "You forgave me."

Effie held his gaze. "I did and I still do." Her voice broke and she had to look in a different direction. "But I don't understand why we shouldn't criticize those Games. Why didn't you?"

"I couldn't."

"Why? I'm about to die, Haymitch. Me!" Effie's voice was shrill from keeping the tears from running down her cheeks "The mother of your children. Your soon-to-be-wife. Why wouldn't you fight the Games for me?"

Haymitch understood now the sudden outburst and he knew how to de-escalate the situation. "If it ever went public that I voted for the Games, my credibility would've been gone. I can't risk that. I can't and neither can Katniss. No one believes Peeta since he's a mutt in the public's opinion. Annie isn't trustworthy either, she never was since her Games destroyed her completely. Johanna is over the moon for the games and Beetee alone can't do it. It was impossible to express criticism. We weren't in the position to do so and you aren't either. We are trapped here. There are only little steps we can take and giving a perfect interview to Cressida is one of them"

Effie didn't say a word after his explanation and a silent Effie worried Haymitch more than a shouting one. He searched for reassurance. "Yeah?"

Effie sighed and then mumbled. "I'm still not fond of it."

"I know your opinion on the Games and nobody else matters, OK?"

"If I win-"

Haymitch interrupted her. "You can say whatever you want about the Games, even cursing."

"No cursing on TV, Haymitch, please, manners!" She hit his arm lightly und pursed her lips.

"This calls for a few 'fuck you's."

Effie giggled. "I'll leave that part to you."

"You're more reasonable now, I'm relieved." He knew better than to kiss her when she had just applied her makeup, instead he put his hands on her shoulders.

"I can't let you down, well I can't let myself down."

"No, you can't." He squeezed her upper arms.

"I've waited all my life for this. An entire interview just about me. I dreamed about it." She shot him a smile that he knew was a fake one. She never showed her teeth when she pretended to be happy over something. Her lips were pressed together and formed into a smile, which could still amaze him.

"Here you go. You better enjoy it."

"That's not likely to happen." She clicked her tongue, searched his eyes. "Will you be there?"

"All the time. Right where you can see me."

"She may call you to sit next to me." Effie placed her hands on his chest, playing with the button of his shirt.

"We agreed not to."

"I might need you." She tilted her head.

"No, you won't. This is your journey. The sooner you learn to rely on yourself the better."

* * *

Cressida turned after her introduction to face Effie. Even though it wasn't a live interview and would be cut, Cressida tried to keep the spirit of a live-interview at all costs. It was her style to keep authenticity. After the rebellion, Cressida had become one of the leading ladies in television. She was in charge of all major interviews and covered most stories herself. She didn't like to be in charge of the right angle but also of the right content, so she conducted the interviews herself. "Hello Effie. It's great to meet you here in Twelve."

"Thanks for taking the effort and coming here. It's a pleasure having you."

"Effie, there's plenty to talk about. Why don't we dive right in and discuss your life? Tell us about what it was like to be an escort."

If the cameras weren't present Effie would have gasped or widened her eyes out of shock, but instead she smiled and talked easily about her life as an escort. She explained how she got the job, what she loved about it and what she hated about it. She pointed out how she reacted when she found out she had to work with the drunk victor of district Twelve. Both Cressida and Haymitch behind the camera had to hold back a laugh at that and Effie was certain Panem would find it amusing too.

Cressida elaborated on that, "So, there was no secret love affair going on between the two of you?"

Effie locked eyes with Haymitch for a second. "Oh, Cressida, I wish I could spill a juicy story about this, but unfortunately no, there was no love affair going on while the Hunger Games. It would have been certainly too dangerous and in the end, we still ended up together."

Next Katniss and Peeta were mentioned and Effie made sure to be clear how deeply she felt for them. "We certainly never had a volunteer from Twelve before, so I knew Katniss was special. A potential winner. We made sure she won. Haymitch and I worked really well together, all of us did, all the stylists. And Katniss made it. Peeta too. We grew closer over the year, it was a true magical love-story that all of Panem knows about and then it was about to be ripped apart and so was my heart. I loved these kids. They deserved happiness." Effie teared up. She struggled to form the next words. "They were victors. They were supposed to live happily ever after." And so was she. So was everybody else in Panem. She held those words back, but by noticing Haymitch tensing his shoulders she knew that they were heavily implied.

"After the Quarter Quell, during the rebellion, you were imprisoned by Snow, is that right?"

"Yes, I spent nine months in prison. They thought I was a rebel, they thought I knew something, Well, I worked with Cinna, who was rebel, I worked with Haymitch, who was one of the leading heads of the rebellion. There were rebels all around me."

"But, you weren't." Cressida stressed.

"No, I wasn't. I wouldn't be here, if I was."

"What did they do to you in prison?"

"As a mother I advise all the parents out there to send their kids outside the room for this. They did inexplicable things to me, which are not for kids' ears. I certainly have never talked about it to my two girls." Effie took a deep breath and spilled all the ugly details of her imprisonment.

"How were you after the war?"

"Not good. Those months in the cell destroyed me. I still struggle sometimes. The nightmares haunt me regularly, but I'm able to handle them now. It comes and goes in waves, I suppose. The littlest things can make me freak-out. But in Twelve I feel well. I have people I love dearly around me and I built a life. I left the horrible times behind me."

"Even the kids you reaped?"

"There's not a single kid I reaped that I forgot. I know their names and I know their stories. I tried to make their lives better for a week. They got the best clothes, all the food they had wished for. I know how poor people were in Twelve. I saw every year how the kids dug in when they saw the food on the table, how little manners they knew when dinner was served. They haunt me, it's not only the imprisonment which makes life harder at times. But I fight them for my girls."

"Let's talk about the girls a little."

Effie nodded.

* * *

 ** _two weeks before_**

"Daddy, can I ask you something?" Poppy said, when she sat next to him on the couch.

Haymitch laid his book aside. "Only if it's a good question."

"All my questions are good." Poppy argued.

"I recall a few which weren't worth asking."

"Like what?"

"The one time you asked me if monsters were more afraid of spinach or broccoli."

Poppy took his answer in for a moment and said, "And I still don't have an answer to that."

"Pops, there are no monsters."

"Right now not. But under my bed there are." She stressed.

"I check it every night. Trust me, sweetheart, there are none."

"They are hiding too good."

Haymitch sighed. "How about we try asparagus tonight to scare them away?"

"Don't be silly, Daddy, they like asparagus." Poppy giggled.

"Of course." Haymitch had to return the smile, but he refused to roll his eyes in front of his daughter. "So what's the question you wanted to ask?"

"Oh, I don't know if I should ask. Daphne said I shouldn't, but she doesn't have to know about it. Does she?"

Haymitch studied his daughter. He couldn't tell what she was up to and he chose his answer carefully. "Depends on your question, sweetheart."

"It's about these unfunny games, you remember them?"

How could he forget them? "What about them?"

"What's the deal with them? The kids in school talk about them and I don't have any idea what they are about."

"What do the other kids say?" Haymitch thought the safest would be to see what she already knew before giving information away.

"Like that their parents are really excited about them and looking forward to watching them. And that it's important for the country and- it doesn't make any sense to me. You all reacted differently to them. You were angry that they are back and not happy."

"Oh, Poppy, all people are different and therefore react differently to things."

Poppy frowned. "What are these games anyways?"

"That's hard to explain."

"I've got time." Poppy resettled on the couch and looked eagerly at him.

"Why bother explaining it to you when you're certainly not allowed to watch them?"

"I'm not? But all the kids in school are."

"You're too young, Poppy. These games are none of your business. Remember there are some films that you are not allowed to watch either? It's the same with the games. There are some things in them that are not suitable for little girls' eyes. You will have nightmares and I can't take you and all your stuffed animals in my bed every night."

"And I can't even watch a teeny tiny bit? For a minute?" Poppy tried to persuade her father.

"I'd rather have it you would not." Haymitch said, while patting her knee.

"But someday I will see them?"

"I'm sure you will." Haymitch sighed. Someday she will know the truth and it scared the crap out of him. She wouldn't watch him with admiration anymore if she knew his past and the future they had to face.

He couldn't linger too long in those thoughts because Poppy asked him another question. "Will _you_ watch them?"

Haymitch nodded. "I have to."

That same evening, when the girls were in bed already Haymitch approached Effie in the kitchen, when she did the washing-up. "Sweetheart, your plan's not working out."

"My plan?" Effie asked while scrubbing a pot.

"The girls. They know." Haymitch said.

"Know what?"

He frowned. "About the Games. And they will know that you died in them."

Effie made a face. She was clearly irritated. "How? They're not allowed to watch it."

"But all their classmates are."

"How can parents allow their kids to watch something as cruel as this?"

"I don't know, but as soon as the school break's over and they come back to school they'll know how you died."

Effie stopped the washing and instead shook her head wildly. Her hands shook too. "No, they can't. They shouldn't."

"They will, sooner than you want them to."

She reached for the washing-up liquid and poured some more in the water. "I don't want them to see me dying."

"What's the difference? You'll be dead anyhow." Haymitch snorted.

"No."

"We have to tell them what's going on."

"No!"

"We have to tell them that you might die. That you are in them."

"No, Haymitch, no."

"You can't just keep saying 'no'."

"They don't understand death, Haymitch. No one they know has ever died. They don't understand it and I don't want to deal with their tears. And hurt. And sadness. It's hard enough to deal with mine. I can't tell them. I don't want to tell them. They shouldn't know."

"But they know already." Haymitch argued.

"They know about the games, but they don't know me going in. Do they?"

Haymitch replayed his conversation with Poppy. She never mentioned their roles in the games. It was not public yet that Effie would go in, but heavily implied and assumed, finally he answered. "No."

"Right, then we might tell them about the games. We certainly have to tell them why we're going to the Capitol in a few weeks."

"What about the interview?"

"What about it?"

"When it's on national TV the kids in school will know about you going in and so will the girls."

"We'll push the interview back to the school break. I won't let my girls near anybody after it."

"Effie, you can't protect them forever."

"No, but for _now_ I can."

Haymitch went through his hair and took a dishcloth to start drying the dishes. It was a well-practiced routine they had established over the years.

"I hate to keep an act up in front of the girls." Haymitch eventually said.

"Would you rather be comforting all the time? Isn't it easier that way? We can distract ourselves with happy kids around us. It's the most precious gift I have at the moment. I don't want it any other way."

Haymitch knew there was no reason to argue back. She had the upper hand on this. The aftermath was his business, she would never know.

* * *

The interview went fine after she had passed the challenging topic of her girls, but Poppy and Daphne served for Effie's likeability. More and more she relaxed and gave a charming performance. Her answers were on point and had the right amount of emotion in them.

"Do you understand why you're in the Games?" Cressida suddenly asked.

Effie was surprised by the question since she believed she answered this in one of her earlier responses. She was a little irritated. "Of course, I do. What I don't understand is why we have these games" Effie saw Haymitch widening his eyes, that's when she realized what she had said and added instantly, "now."

The audience would recognize the pause as a dramatic one, one you'd have on purpose, but Effie nevertheless felt the desire to justify herself and elaborated on her critique. "I don't understand why only now and not sooner. We've waited ten years for this punishment to take place. We built up a normal life. Most of Panem's population found a new routine and we all left the cruelness of Snow and the destruction of the rebellion behind us. When we hold these Games _now,_ it will throw back the society a few years. In my opinion, it would have been more effective right after the rebellion. It would have given all of Panem's citizens the same start to the healing and mending process. The wounds are reopened with this all over again and I'm a little concerned about the outcome."

* * *

 ** _two hours later_**

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I did the one thing I shouldn't have done and I did it anyway. It was a disaster. Horrible. I'm probably really dead after this. No sponsors or anything." Effie sobbed against Haymitch's chest.

"It's OK, sweetheart. No one noticed, but you and me."

"I still criticized the Games. And you told me not to. I knew I shouldn't have."

"Yes, you criticized it, but in a different way that you intended to. It was actually a great critique. I very much agree with you. They shouldn't have waited 10 years to do this. It's cruel."

"Haymitch, this was awful." She looked up to search his eyes.

"You did fine."

Effie didn't agree with him, shook her head and sought comfort in his embrace once again. She buried her nose in the crook of his neck. She felt him place his arms around her, putting one of his hands on her neck.

* * *

Cressida took Effie's critique in and asked a few follow up questions, which weren't a hurdle for Effie anymore. Relaxation overcame her again and she knew how to handle the interview.

"I assume you have started training. How does that work out for you so far? Tell Panem about it." Cressida said.

"I don't want to give too much away, since my competitors will see this too, but how I look should be a statement in itself." Effie smiled and looked down.

"We see a skinny woman, hardly any muscles. That's why I'm asking."

Effie swallowed. "I'm improving. There's a workout every day. And I look skinny because I still know how to dress myself even though I gained weight."

"Muscles are one part of training. Did you have a chance to work with weapons?"

"I'd be crazy not to."

"How did it go?" Cressida asked.

* * *

 ** _three days earlier_**

Effie was holding the bow, her arms were shaking. She couldn't steady it, her arrows missed the target. "I can't do it. The bow is not my weapon."

"Why can't you steady the bow? You're shaking like a leaf." Katniss said, standing a few meters away.

"I can't hold it. I'm too weak."

"I don't understand. We did so much arm training over the last few weeks. You should be able to hold it still."

"This is a waste of time. I'm not good at this. Let's concentrate on something else."

"I agree."

"No!" Haymitch called from the porch. "No! You won't give up after three days of shooting the bow. Archery isn't something you learn within hours."

"You're right, but we don't have months to master it. Let's move on."

"No, you'll give it another week."

"I won't improve over a week." Effie argued.

"We'll see." Haymitch demanded.

"OK, Effie, you heard Haymitch. Take the bow again. And please, concentrate when you aim." Katniss stressed.

Effie frowned, but took the bow and an arrow. She released it quickly and the arrow hit the fence.

"How often do I have to tell you to take your time before releasing the arrow?! You aim for the tree there and not anything else."

"I can't hold it long enough."

"Nonsense." Katniss stepped to Effie to steady her arm when she had drawn the string. She helped Effie aiming for the tree and when Effie released the arrow it moved into its direction, but landed two meters in front of it in the ground.

Effie sighed, while Katniss placed her hands in her neck. The helplessness of the situation overcame them.

"What are you two waiting for?" Haymitch called for them again.

"Katniss." Effie hissed. It was plea.

Katniss went through her hair. She didn't know what to do anymore. Effie was clearly not made for the bow. If she had troubles aiming the bow with all the time in the world, how would she able to shoot someone in the arena? The target would not only be smaller, but moving.

"I know. But he…" Katniss trailed of and shook her head.

"One more week?" Effie asked.

Katniss nodded.

"We both know we can use this time differently."

Katniss nodded again.

"Maybe we tell him tomorrow that we already did the archery training when he was still asleep. I can't do this anymore. The constant failure. I can't take it. He watching us, seeing me fail, it's too much pressure. I can't."

Katniss agreed. "But for now, we make it look like I instruct you, but I'll pull on your arm. It steadies you and gives you more power releasing the arrow. We will hit the tree today. It will shut him up."

"Won't he notice?"

"I'll stand in his way. He won't see."

"Katniss." Effie sighed.

"You're not the only one who can't take this anymore."

The women came to an understanding. The frustrating training of archery would be history tomorrow.

"This is not time for chit-chat! Shoot already." Haymitch yelled again at them.

And this time Katniss yelled back. "Keep your pants on! I was giving her instructions!"

* * *

"Training with weapons is fine. I tried the bow." Effie answered.

"You have the best trainer for that." Cressida said.

"Katniss certainly is. She's really patient and knows exactly what I need. I couldn't ask for more."

"Any other weapons we can expect you to use in the arena?"

"Oh, all sorts of weapons. The usual ones, I guess. I don't want to go down in the bloodbath. I want to stand my chance and give a good show. It's the last ever Hunger Games, they'd better be enjoyable, so they can be memorable."

"It will be the Games of all Games." Cressida said. "How will you spend your time until the reaping? Any special plans besides training?"

"Of course. I'll try to spend as much quality-time with my girls as I can. They are seven and five and not being there with them hurts me the most."

"I can't imagine how it must be to leave your own children behind."

"I know they are in good hands. And it's not like I have a choice. I wouldn't abandon my kids. I love them. I will fight for them"

"I'm sure you are. Any other plans in the works? Any last thoughts you might want to share with the audience?"

"Oh, yes, the audience should know that I won't go into these Games as Effie Trinket anymore. I will enter the arena as Effie Abernathy."

"You and Haymitch will get married? That's an exclusive, we're getting here."

"Yes, we will. I won't spill any details though. All I can say is that it will take place in the next few weeks before the reaping. And it will be fabulous."

* * *

 ** _one week earlier_**

Daphne's eyes widened when she saw a pastel yellow dress. It had caught her eye the second she entered the shop and her feet lead her automatically towards it. She didn't listen to her mother's voice, all she could hear was that dress speaking to her, basically shouting for her to try it on. Daphne carefully took the dress from the rack and shrieked when she saw what it looked like. Not only had it ruffles, but the fabric was covered in white polka dots. She held it against her body to see how it fit her, when her mother approached her.

"How on earth do you find the only yellow dress in here?"

"It drew me like a magnet. Not my fault."

Effie sighed and knelt down to be on Daphne's eye-level. "Daphne, honey, remember what we said about yellows?"

"But, Mum, this is the dress."

"You haven't even looked at the others."

"Because I don't have to. It's my dress. It has ruffles and polka dots. And a bow in the back."

"Daphne, no, you know what we've discussed."

"Let me at least try it on."

"The second you have it on, I know you won't take it off until you get it. So, no. Come, there's plenty of other dresses."

"Mum, trust me, this is it."

Effie pursed her lips

The shop-owner noticed the discussion between mother and daughter and interfered, "May I help you somehow?"

"My daughter fell in love with this dress, but I'm afraid it's not quite the colour we're looking for."

"What colour do you have in mind?"

" _Anything_ but yellow."

"Well, you're lucky. We have the exact same dress in a different colour. I'll get it for you."

"Thank you." Effie turned to Daphne. "You see, they have the exact same dress. We can compromise."

Daphne couldn't answer back because the woman had returned with the dress, which Effie accepted with a smile. "So, why don't you try that on?"

"Mum, this dress is not the one I want. I want the right style and the right colour. I don't even know what this is. It's neither cornflower blue nor lavender."

"It's periwinkle."

"Whatever. I want the yellow one. Badly. Nothing else will make me happy."

Effie watched her daughter pout and was conflicted about the yellow dress. Should she let Daphne get what she wanted even though it didn't meet Effie's imagination for her wedding? Or should she have an unhappy Daphne at her wedding in a dress she actually approved of?

When her thoughts brought her to the possibility that this might be her last time buying her daughter a dress, she decided to get her the dress of her dreams.

"Poppy, my dear, can you come her?" Effie asked. "What do you think of that dress? Is this something you might enjoy? The ruffles? The polka dots?" Effie pointed to the dress. She tried selling it to Poppy. She had a plan she wanted to see through.

Poppy touched the material and inspected it for a second. "It's periwinkle."

"Yes, a very special colour for a very special day." Effie was pleased that one of her daughters knew the name for the colour.

Poppy let go of the dress and asked, "Does it twirl?"

Effie smiled. "Let's find out." She added to the shop-owner, "Do you have the periwinkle one two sizes smaller? Probably three?"

When both Poppy and Daphne left the changing rooms with smiles on their faces, Effie knew she had made the right choice. "Come here. I'll take the waist bands off."

"Why? They belong to the dress." Daphne protested.

"Don't panic. I'll switch them. You get the periwinkle one of Poppy's dress and she in return gets your yellow one."

Daphne was irritated and watched in the mirror as her mother adjusted the waistbands. Effie knelt down between her daughters, her arms around them. "So, now imagine you both wear a headband too. Poppy, you a yellow one and Daphne a periwinkle one. You are both holding a bouquet of mixed flowers. White, yellow and blue. Daisies in white and yellow, cornflowers and maybe even a sunflower. Can you see how beautiful you'll look?"

Poppy smiled and started to twirl. Daphne on the other hand still looked unpleasantly in the mirror, fumbling with the waistband.

"It's a contrast, but it goes very well together. It's still you dream dress?"

Daphne looked up to meet her mother's gaze. "The heart wants what the heart wants." It was Daphne's way of apologizing to her mother. "It's perfect."

"It better be. You totally ruined my colour-theme for the wedding."

"Dad would have hated a pink wedding anyways."

Effie clicked her tongue in disapproval.

* * *

"Why did you feel the need to have a wedding?" Cressida asked.

"It doesn't come out of nowhere. Haymitch and I have been living together for almost a decade. We've created a family. We just didn't get around with a wedding so far. These Games made it now or never." Effie said.

"This makes you a victor's wife. Does this increase or reduce your chances of winning?"

"Nobody knows what counts in the end. The former victors and the victor to be chosen won't compare. Certainly not in age. It's a new kind of victor, especially since there's only supposed to be one."

"I think this makes a good ending. Only one new victor, who won't compare to the former victors. Maybe it's you. I wish you all the best. It was a pleasure, Effie Trinket, soon to be Abernathy."

"Thank you." Effie smiled one last time right into the camera. Her first steps towards the Last Hunger Games were taken.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading and in the last few weeks I've been wondering: Is there still interest for the story?  
The next update will be the wedding, so please hang in there! Have a lovely Sunday. (:_


	10. Rings

**Tenth Chapter: Rings**

Johanna and Annie had agreed to arrive a day before the wedding, so Johanna could show Effie how to use an axe. She was the expert on that and Katniss was relieved to not be responsible for training for a few days. It was tiring her and she couldn't take listening to Effie and her demands while they were running anymore. The wedding was a welcome break.

Even though Katniss was not in charge of the training she still had to sit with Effie and Johanna and watch them. Both of them could be at each other's throat within seconds, even quicker when no one was around, who could be used as their buffer.

Their greetings were polite and they even shared a hug, but within seconds Effie insisted, "It's OK, you can say it."

"You look horrible in that dress." Johanna said.

"So do you without make-up." Effie's response came immediately.

"I was on an overnight train, what's your excuse?"

Effie pursed her lips and was about to answer Johanna, but Annie cut in and distracted them with small talk about the wedding. Soon, Annie took her son and the girls with Peeta to town to give the others space for training. Originally, Haymitch had sat with Katniss, but he enjoyed the arguing between Johanna and Effie too much and even encouraged them. Katniss had to send him to Peeta, so they got through training without interruptions.

In the evening the grown-ups had some time alone and could talk openly about the Games. After the first rush of words had overcome them, a round of jokes and easy conversation took its place. They returned to the Games and their impact with Johanna saying, "I still don't get this. Why are you acting like she's already chosen to be in the arena? The reaping isn't for another three weeks."

"It's better to be prepared." Katniss simply stated, irritated by Johanna's question.

"But what if she doesn't get reaped? Have you ever thought about it?" Johanna said with emphasis. She looked around to see their faces. She noticed Katniss growing uneasy with the question, shifting in her seat, looking for support from Peeta, who took her hand in his. Haymitch pretended to drink from his glass, so he wouldn't be able to answer.

Effie looked down on her hands in her lap, looking at her nails, which had to be done in the morning. She raised her voice softly, "Why? What's there to think about?"

When Effie met Johanna's gaze again, Johanna snorted. "So, you haven't because you just assume you get picked. That's fucked up."

"Johanna!" Effie warned her.

"She's right." Annie cut in.

"Excuse me?" Effie turned her head to her left where Annie sat.

Annie explained herself, "It's not set in stone you're going to the arena. You might not get reaped."

Haymitch, Katniss, Effie and Peeta exchanged looks. Not once have they thought about Effie not entering the arena. They made several plans for the preparation, but there was not one single plan if she didn't go in. They all just assumed it would go on as before or worse that the chance for her not being reaped was too slim. They lacked a lot of optimism.

* * *

"Mummy, can you please turn around so I see your dress spinning?" Poppy asked while her mother applied a spray of Jasmine perfume. Effie turned her head to her daughter who was sitting on her and Haymitch's bed and was bouncing up and down on the mattress. Effie wasn't sure who was more excited about the wedding - Poppy or herself. Probably Poppy, since she had never been to a wedding before.

"Of course." Effie said smiling; she stepped to the centre of the room and started twirling. After a few spins, Effie stopped turning and looked at the others in the room.

Annie smiled at her, "It's a lovely dress."

Effie wore a white dress, more like a crème-colour, but you'd still be able to consider it white. It was important to her to have this wedding as traditional as possible. Wearing white was one of the traditions she liked keeping, even though Daphne and Poppy were the living proof she wasn't a virgin anymore. Her dress was nothing she would have worn a decade ago, but for Twelve's standards it was still considered over the top.

"Thank you, nothing compared to Cinna's designs, but no one will ever compete with him. Every time Katniss twirled in one of his dresses my heart skipped a beat." Effie said.

"That's very Capitol of you to say that." Johanna rolled her eyes and helped Daphne choosing the right bangle to match her dress and the colour-scheme Effie had ordered.

Effie clicked her tongue, smoothed over the lace of her dress and went back to finishing her outfit. Even Johanna couldn't ruin her mood on this day.

In the meantime, at Katniss and Peeta's house, Haymitch and Peeta were getting ready. Haymitch was fumbling a tie in front of a mirror. His fingers were shaking. "This stupid tie doesn't work. I have to go without one."

"You can't!" Peeta said.

"Right." Haymitch turned around to look at Peeta. "Then, I won't go at all. Effie will be just as furious if I show up without a tie."

"If it comes down to a tie whether you'll get married or not, I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out." Peeta stepped in front of Haymitch and started fumbling with the tie as well. His hands were clumsy and the first sweatdrops formed on his forehead.

After watching Peeta for a couple of minutes, Haymitch asked, "How did you make yours work?"

"I leave mine folded in the wardrobe I- So, has this to go under or over now?" Peeta eventually created a knot, but it wasn't a classic one, rather a new-interpretation of classic tie-knot, which could be classified as modern art.

"That ain't looking right."

"No, it looks different." Peeta admitted and compared his knot to the one he created. "So, what do we do? Ask someone for help?" Peeta said, walking towards the door. Plutarch, Fulvia and Beetee had taken Annie's son outside to pass the time until the ceremony. They could just ask them, both Plutarch and Beetee wore a suit with a tie, as far as Peeta could remember.

"And risk Effie hearing about it? That will freak her out." Haymitch snorted.

"We're running out of options here." Peeta sighed.

"Let's relax and have a drink to think about it."

"You know the drill. No drinks for you." Peeta said dismissively.

"Come on, Peeta, I'm not married yet. She can't control me. And I'll need it. I'm gonna marry her!" Haymitch pointed out.

"Voluntarily, as I like to remind you." Peeta crossed his arms in front of him.

"Whatever. Don't you have a flask with you?" Haymitch go up to check Peeta's pockets by patting all over his body.

Peeta pushed him away. "No, why would I?"

"Don't you mess around with me. You're my best man. Aren't you supposed to be there for my needs?" He pointed towards himself. Peeta behaved more like Effie's best man than his. He felt like Peeta was a double agent, reporting to Effie every misdeed.

"Yes, but only in your best interest."

"I have to say, you're failing at this job. Tie's a mess, no booze. What's next? Forgot the ring?"

"No, the ring's safe and sound."

"Did you cover the engraving as well?"

"Like you asked."

"Good."

"Effie will appreciate it."

"If she ever can see past my imperfect appearance."

Peeta was about to reply when there was a knock on the door. Katniss entered. "Everything set around here?"

"What are you doing here?" Haymitch said, while Peeta answered, "Yes."

"I thought you'd be nicer since it's your wedding day, but I was mistaken."

"Don't lecture me now, girl. What do you want? Shouldn't you be with Effie?"

"I should, but…"

"You couldn't be with her any longer? Effie's probably in bridezilla-mode. What was it now that didn't work out?"

"Nothing. Everything's' fine."

Haymitch arched an eyebrow.

"It is!" Katniss stepped up to Peeta. "You look nice." She touched his shoulders. Peeta smiled shyly, but said, "You look beautiful."

Katniss and Peeta shared a smile.

"Oh, will you stop already, lovebirds? Did you come for reason or why did you leave Effie alone?"

"She's not alone. The girls, Annie, and Johanna are with her."

"And we all know this combination will end in a fight, in tears and same crazy plan, which will involve all of us."

Katniss frowned and spilled why she came. "Effie sent me to tell you that you have to wear a different tie. She doesn't like the colours anymore."

"She decided that just now? How does she think this works?"

Katniss looked at the unmade tie around Haymitch's neck and handed him a grey tie with a light-blue touch. "She sends this one. She'll be ready soon." After saying that, Katniss left the room.

"Last minute changes." Haymitch mumbled. Peeta handed him the tie and he pulled the other from his neck.

"It's already tied." Peeta said surprised.

"Sometimes there's something good in change." Haymitch chuckled and stepped in front of the mirror to adjust the tie properly.

When they were finished getting dressed, Haymitch checked himself one more time the mirror. He turned around to Peeta and said, "Any last advice?"

Here they were a dozen years later with reversed roles. Peeta smiled and liked the change in things. He couldn't help himself but tease Haymitch, who was surprisingly nervous. Peeta had caught Haymitch's hands shaking while applying the tie. Peeta was drawn to mess with Haymitch's head little more and said, "May the odds be ever in your favour." Haymitch was about to frown, but Peeta patted his shoulder and added with a chuckle. "Don't trip into the cake."

"I'll try." Haymitch smirked as well.

* * *

After the ceremony, the wedding party had a meal in a small restaurant on the edge of town. They were almost done eating the main course when Effie suddenly said, "I've had a thought."

"You don't say." Haymitch replied out of instinct, which made Effie shoot him a disapproving glare. She was holding any comment back she was about to spill because it would have been bad manners.

The situation felt far too familiar, Katniss and Peeta noticed as well and exchanged smiles. "Married for two hours and already a little bickering." Katniss whispered. The whole table overheard her and shared smiles and laughs about it.

"A ring doesn't change anything," Haymitch reminded Katniss, who now shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It was no secret that Peeta was playing with the idea of being married in his head. Peeta carefully put hints about it around Katniss, who was still not comfortable even thinking about it.

"How about we play-" Effie stopped herself before she could say the word 'game' and rephrased her question, "How about we do something fun? It's not every day we all come together like this."

Annie agreed. "What were you thinking of?"

"We could take turns talking about where will be in 10 years time. Doing some imagination, talking about could-bes and hopeful thinking." Effie tried to sound as casual as she could, but her intention was obvious to the gronw-ups in the room.

They fell silent and were somehow so much more interested in the leftovers on their plates. Effie shifted in her seat to sit straighter, "I thought it might be fun." You couldn't deny the dying one a wish, even less if she was the bride.

Beetee swallowed any inconvenience down and cleared his throat. He pushed his glasses back into place and leaned forward, "I see myself still experimenting and inventing things. In ten years I might retire, so I'll do all of it for fun and I have a feeling I might come across my biggest invention then."

"Like you'd ever retire and do nothing," Haymitch chuckled. He tried easing the mood.

"Unlike you, I'm a productive member of society."

Haymitch shot him a side glare and was about to answer.

"Well-well." Plutarch interrupted Beetee and Haymitch since their disagreement could lead to a heated discussion about contributing to society all over again, "Ten years from now. Maybe I'm settled down since Panem's loner number one tied the knot today. If's in his hands, it could be in mine too. It seems within reach nowadays."

"Really? The whole package?" Annie interjected curiously.

"Minus the kids. I make a better uncle than a father. And I'm far too old to have children for my taste." Haymitch now shot him a glare, which made Plutarch smirk. He knew how to push Haymitch's buttons.

Effie felt Haymitch tensing up next to her and placed a hand on his knee. She smoothed over his thigh to make him relax. She herself looked amused.

So did Fulvia, who interlocked her arm with Plutarch's, while saying, "I think my next ten years will look somehow similar to Plutarch's"

Their relationship was a well-known secret, but no one would dare to ask what the deal was with them. It had been the same for Effie and Haymitch in the first years after the war, there had been some denying even when Effie was pregnant and a short period of denial when Daphne was born.

It was Annie's turn. "Gosh, I'll have a kid at college then. So, an empty-nester. Still teaching children and still loving it. Every day swimming and of course thinking of Finnick." Annie added a thinking of Effie to it in her head, but her pause made it obvious for the others in the room. "That's about it. Nothing spectacular like I assume Johanna will share with us."

"Oh, you give myself much more credit than I deserve because I plan to do everything exactly like I did before."

"And that will be what?" Katniss cut in.

"Giving no shit about anything."

Half the people on the table laughed, while the other were aware that Johanna tried to establish a certain impression, which she couldn't live up to anymore. She still didn't care what other's thought about her, but she came to care about others now. She cared about Annie and her son, that's why she stayed with them.

Johanna cared about Daphne and Poppy and she certainly cared about Katniss, who had been just as much as a puppet of the Capitol as she had been. She developed a mutual understanding with Haymitch, but most of the days she didn't really care for him. Most of the days she couldn't understand him or Katniss for caring about Effie so much because she annoyed the crap out of her. For Peeta Johanna didn't feel overly sorry and pitied him, and that's why Peeta liked her. She didn't give a damn about Plutarch and Fulvia and certainly not about Beetee, but the others had grown on her.

The children chuckled at her comment, which was another reason she cared for them. They enjoyed her company, which was a rather rare occurrence in the past. She discovered more and more the fun side of herself and was now the fun aunt to the children who grew up in a more and more fun-world. She didn't give into the dark sides of her life when she was around them and outlived the crazy parts.

* * *

During desert Effie was engaged in a conversation with Annie, but she stopped it when she saw how one of her daughters had decided to eat it. "Daphne, please, can you watch your manners? There's a fork next to the plate for a reason."

"Mum, seriously, how am I supposed to eat strawberries with a fork?" Daphne picked the strawberry up and dipped it in melted chocolate.

"You'll get your dress dirty with the chocolate on the strawberries."

"There's always a washing machine." Daphne rolled her eyes.

Effie pursed her lips and now it was Haymitch's turn to calm Effie down. He whispered. "Relax, sweetheart."

"No, I won't. We wanted to take photos after and we certainly can't with a chocolate covered Daphne."

"Sure we can."

"No, we can't. Really, Haymitch, what are you here for?" Effie snapped.

"For the refreshments." Haymitch held his glass of tonic up. Effie shot him a side-glare and then one to Daphne. "Daphne, please, use the fork."

"Is that game still on? Because I know where I would be in 10 years. I don't want to be bossed around by my mother anymore." Daphne was holding a strawberry demonstratively in her hand and dipped extra deep in the chocolate, so her fingers were covered in it too.

"Young lady." Effie warned her.

"I might consider moving out. Seventeen is way too old to need one's mother anyway." Daphne took a bit of the strawberry and waited for her mother's response, but it didn't come right away.

The room fell silent. Effie was indeed full of emotion, which was about to burst, but she wasn't the one who exploded. It was Johanna. "Take that back. You take that back immediately! You little brat, how can you say something like that to your mother? Damn it, take it back!"

Daphne was teary, she felt even smaller and stormed out of the room.

"I should…" Effie said, but Johanna cut in. "No. I'll do it. I have to. Besides, it's not like you're gonna be there for ever."

It felt like a slap to Effie's face. Reality hit her hard and she felt the tears creeping up on her again. She tugged a strand of hair behind her ear to gather control over the trembling, but she couldn't calm herself. She stood up and walked out of the room as well. Not as hasty as Johanna or Daphne before, but still with vigour.

Their exit left the rest of the group silent all over again. All that was audible was the breathing of the people. A sigh here and a groan there. Poppy whispered. "What happened?"

Annie's son shrugged and turned to his mother. "Mum? Is everything OK?"

Annie nodded and placed the serviette from her lap on the table. She stood up and said, "I'll check on Effie."

Haymitch nodded in agreement and reached for his glass. He wished it were alcohol. He needed it urgently. The bitterness of the tonic didn't relax him as well as the alcohol used to do, it only made him uneasy and so did Poppy's asking. "Daddy, what's wrong with Mummy and Daphne?"

"Nothing's wrong, sweetheart. They are fine." Haymitch lied and tried to reassure her with a promising smile. Gladly the others had recovered from their state of shock and engaged the children in a conversation, so he could take his time to recover from the outburst.

* * *

"I thought I would find you here." Johanna watched Daphne leaning against the outside wall of the restaurant. She was throwing little stones. Johanna said, "Hey, I'm sorry I yelled at you. It was not my intention to hurt you. It's just you upset me with what you said."

"Why?" Daphne asked, still throwing stones away.

"Seventeen may sound old to you now, but you'll still need your mother, way more than you can imagine now. I still wish I had my mother around."

"You do?" Daphne turned to face Johanna.

"Of course. My Mum got me, you know? No explaining necessary. She saw my face and instantly knew what was on my mind. No other person could do that. So when you say you don't want your mother anymore, you hurt me and anybody else who hasn't got one. We would all trade with you. I mean, I'd give anything to have my mother back."

"You want my mother as yours?"

"She's not all bad, is she?" Johanna shrugged.

"No."

"Don't tell her I said that. She'd harp on about it for days and the smile she'd have on her face, unbearable. So, we're good?"

"Always." Daphne reached out to hug her, but Johanna stopped her. "Your hands are full of chocolate. Stretch 'em up. I want them nowhere near this dress. Your mother would kill me." She hugged Daphne for a moment and added, "You might want to apologize to your mother."

"OK." Daphne said while bringing her hands down. She made her way back to the restaurant by storming back in. Johanna chuckled, and yelled after Daphne, even though she wasn't sure Daphne could hear her, "And wash your hands before that."

* * *

Daphne walked to her mother, who was sharing an embrace with Annie. When their eyes met, Daphne noticed the tears on her mother's cheeks.

"Oh, Mum, I'm sorry, please, don't cry."

Annie and Effie smiled and Annie said, "Daphne, it wouldn't be a wedding if there were no tears."

Daphne nodded and watched Annie leave the next-door room, where the wedding party took place. Daphne sighed. "I'm sorry about what I said. It's just sometimes…"

"Sometimes we have real mother-daughter-disagreements."

"We do."

"Oh, darling, no matter what you do or say, nothing can change the fact that I'm your mother and it's my job to care. I will always be there and offer my advice, even if you don't think you'll need it. I love you, Daphne, and what I feel for you is forever." Effie reached down to place her hands on Daphne's shoulders.

"I love you too, Mum. A lot."

"Me too. I love you so much."

Effie finally drew Daphne against her and they hugged their disagreement out. Daphne brought her hands around Effie's middle. Effie placed a kiss on her head.

There was a knock on the door and Haymitch peeked in. "Everything OK here? There's someone who wants to join this." He pushed Poppy in, who joined the embrace of her mother and sister. Effie pressed the girls' heads against her stomach. She didn't care in the moment if that meant she'd mess up their hair. Girl's hair always got messy when it was loose and not in a ponytail. With their waves and locks it never looked sorted anyway.

When Effie opened her eyes, she met Haymitch's gaze. He smiled at them. She gestured with her head for him to join him, but he shook his head, he steadied himself against the doorframe. Effie eventually brought her attention back to the girls. "I love you two."

"To the moon and back?" Poppy asked.

"To the moon and back and to the moon again." Effie replied.

Eventually they ended their hug and Poppy joined her father at the door again. He held his hand out to his daughter and still smiled at Effie, who had her arm still around Daphne.

"We're good, Mum?" Daphne asked.

"Perfectly fine." She smiled.

Both went to join Poppy and Haymitch at the door. Haymitch stretched his arm to let his girls go first. Effie giggled at how well trained Haymitch had gotten after all these years. She felt his hand on the small of her back and a chuckle on his behalf. She turned her head and saw his lips wobbling from holding back real laughter.

"Haymitch, please, this is not funny at all."

"Sweetheart, this is." He caught her hand to hold her back from joining the others in the dining room and dragged her to the bathroom. He grabbed her waist to back her against the washbasin. Her hands automatically fell on his chest, smoothing up to his shoulders. Effie giggled now too, but still had worry in her voice. "Haymitch, this is not the place to-"

"Look in the mirror." Haymitch retorted.

Effie studied him, with his smirk on his lips. She couldn't tell what he was up to. She arched an eyebrow, while saying, "Kinky."

He rolled his eyes and nudged her to turn around. Effie stretched her neck over her shoulder to glimpse a look at herself in the mirror above he washbasin. Haymitch pressed her legs apart to stand between them, coming closer to her, leaning his head over other shoulder. All she could perceive was his breath close to the sensitive skin behind her ear.

"Can you see it?" Haymitch muffled his laughter when he nuzzled her shoulder.

The puffs of his breath made Effie shiver and laugh too. She was irritated what he meant, but was happy to have a moment alone with him. Besides the kiss at the altar she didn't have much time to be close to him. "No."

Haymitch brought his hands down to her hip and squeezed it. "Look, sweetheart, here."

Then Effie saw what Haymitch had seen all along. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. "Oh, no, this can't be happening. Is this-?"

"Yeah, I think it _is_ chocolate."

"This can't be true. This is my wedding day. I'm supposed to look flawless."

"It's only in the back, sweetheart, relax."

"I certainly won't relax. This is a catastrophe! All because Daphne was too stubborn to eat with a fork and is apparently unable to wash her hands afterwards. I swear, this girl is taking after you more and more." Effie pushed Haymitch away from her and went for the door, but turned around before she went out. "Hand me your jacket."

"What?"

"There's no way, I'm going out there looking like _this_."

Haymitch growled, but was actually happy to get rid of it. He didn't just hand her the jacket, but helped her put it on like any gentleman would do. It helped calm her down from being quick-tempered to annoyed. He tried one more trick to make her calmer, before joining the other's in the dining room. "Eff, the jacket suits you."

Effie pursed her lips, but Haymitch knew that she was just suppressing a smile.

* * *

After Haymitch had done his duty and had danced with Effie, he left the dance floor to join Plutarch and Beetee on the side, but he still watched Effie dancing with Annie's son and he couldn't help but notice that he took right after his father. Finnick would have enjoyed the party and danced with the girls non-stop. He watched how Daphne tried to persuade Johanna to join them by pulling her on the dance floor. Poppy twirled on her own and Fulvia and Annie looked at her with delight while swaying to the music. Katniss was engaged with dancing with Peeta and he was even able to steal a kiss from her.

Haymitch was content with the sight in front of him, but on the inside he felt uneasy. He grabbed his glass of tonic, took a gulp and said, "Now tell me again, Heavensbee, why you can't do anything about this?"

Plutarch understood that Haymitch meant about Effie going to the Games. He snorted. "I told you over the phone."

"There must be something. Like don't put her name in."

"Are you suggesting Plutarch should manipulate the reaping?" Beetee asked. "That's not right, Haymitch, and you know that."

"I don't care about that and besides, it wouldn't be the first time he'd manipulate them, wouldn't it?" Haymitch nudged Plutarch in the side.

"There's nothing I can do. I told you before."

Haymitch shook his head and placed his glass down. He mumbled, "You're a great friend."

He left the two to continue whatever conversation they were engaged in before and searched for Effie's eyes. They exchanged smiles and, after inhaling, he made his way back to the dance floor. Dancing seemed less painful than chatting with Plutarch.

* * *

Effie closed the door to their house. She had waved after the girls who would have a sleepover at Peeta and Katniss' place. Annie and her son would join them too. She could hear Haymitch calling her from the living room. "Are they all gone now?"

"Yes. They are." Effie sighed. "What's the hurry about?" She entered the living room and found Haymitch in front of the fireplace. She sat down next to him because she knew exactly what this was about. "Can you tell me again why the others shouldn't be here for this?"

"It's something you do alone, in private, without anyone watching." Haymitch explained.

"It feels wrong without the children." Effie watched him putting bread on a long roasting spit.

"This has nothing to do with the kids."

"They are our family, Haymitch." Effie reminded him and sorted her skirt to seat more comfortably. She folded her legs under her.

"But this is not a family-thing. It's about you and me and no one else."

"So, you _are_ romantic?" She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Take it as what it is. A fire and some bread. Nothing more." Haymitch groaned and handed her the spit.

"No one in Twelve ever feels married until this, so it _is_ meaningful." Effie pointed out.

"Will you take it?" Haymitch looked at her.

Effie finally took the roaster and said, "So, it's just starting the fire, then roast the bread and eat it? Nothing else?"

"Yeah."

"No vows?" Effie asked.

"We've done those already."

Effie clicked her tongue. "I want to do it right."

"No one there to give you points for your performance, sweetheart." He smirked at her for a second, but concentrated on roasting the bread over the fire. They watched the bread turning darker in silence, stealing glances at each other from time to time. They removed the bread from the spit after a couple of minutes, exchanging the pieces and ate them carefully, but the crumbs fell down their fancy outfits. Haymitch didn't care about it, but Effie brushed them off after she finished eating.

She cleared her throat and said, "I know vows are not part of this, but I'd like to say something."

"Yeah?" Haymitch said, while he still ate his bread. The crumbs got stuck in his beard too.

"I like the life we built together. It's nothing I would have dreamed of as a girl. But little girl's dreams are always a little out of place." Effie said.

"Didn't you want to marry a victor? That was your dream, wasn't it?" Haymitch teased her.

"But not you!"

"Who was your dream victor?"

"Well, isn't that something you'd like to know." Effie grinned, while brushing crumbs out of his beards.

"Sweetheart, married people shouldn't have secrets from each other."

"A little mystery won't do any harm." She patted his cheek.

"Just tell me it was me you were fantasizing about."

"That would be a lie." Effie paused. "Still, I'm happy it's you."

"I've come to not hate your company as well." Haymitch raised his eyebrow in amusement.

"Really, Haymitch, you can't say one nice word to me on our wedding day?" Effie sighed.

"What is it that you want to hear?"

They faced each other and Effie took a moment before she asked softly. "You're happy it's me?"

Haymitch turned his head towards the fire. After long moments, he searched for her hand. He intertwined fingers and still refused looking at her. He took slowly one breath after the other.

Effie just watched him and decided to let go of her question. Seeing him struggle was enough of an answer for her. She looked at the fire as well and laid her head on his shoulder. She fell into the same breathing pattern as Haymitch. They watched the flames dance in front of them and let their thoughts take them anywhere.

It was Haymitch who moved first and turned his head to place a kiss on Effie's head. Effie instantly knew what this gesture meant. She had experienced it before. If he was missing the right words for his feelings towards her he kissed her on the forehead. It always meant that he felt like she did. It was a code they had come up with over the years.

"Did you think of the-" Effie trailed off. She was sure he knew where she was heading with the question.

"Once in a while."

"I did too. All the time actually." She shifted, so she could sit closer to him.

"Even when I kissed you the first time? During our dance? There too?"

"These were the moments which made me the saddest." Effie said.

"Eff, I think you can't tell the difference between happy tears and sad ones anymore. Under normal circumstances you would have been emotional too. For Panem's sake, I was too. But all I had to do was look at you and-"

She had lifted her head to lock eyes with him. They shared a smile at the memory. Haymitch leaned in to kiss her, but Effie stopped him by putting a hand on his chest. "I know this day was already enough for you and was filled with these meaningful words and you probably don't want to hear any more of them, but I have to say these, even though they were implied all day long."

"Eff, come to an end here. This is too built-up." Haymitch groaned.

"These words need a build-up sometimes. I don't use them often around you."

"Well…" Haymitch patiently waited for her to say the words she needed to say so badly. All he wanted her mouth to do was kiss his lips. Haymitch couldn't kiss her the way he wanted to with other people and children around and Effie considered it bad manners to display affection as public.

"I love you, Haymitch."

Haymitch studied her for a moment and then said, "You're right they were implied all day long."

Effie agreed. "I felt like saying them once properly on this day."

Haymitch nodded and tiled her head up to finally meet her lips. As soon as they did there was no holding back. Effie brought her hands around his neck and pulled him closer. To be married had its perks.

* * *

Later in the evening Haymitch and Effie were in their bed, covered in nothing but the bedclothes. Effie was lying on her back and Haymitch was lying on his side, facing Effie. He played with her hair, which was sprawled out on the pillow.

"How for Panem's sake could you know that I had troubles to tie my tie?" Haymitch asked.

Effie snickered. "After all these years, you are not quite this huge of a mystery to me anymore, my dear."

"Seriously now?" Haymitch insisted.

"You've never tied your tie on your own. There were always stylists around to do that for you. Besides, you hate wearing ties, so that's a great indication you don't know how to tie them."

"But even considering that. How did you _know_?"

"Because I forgot to tie it in the morning for you. Sending you a new one was the only way." She shrugged and smiled at him.

"Thanks, definitely saved my ass."

"Well, that had an entirely selfish reason. I would marry your ass." Effie rolled on her side as well and brought her right hand over his middle to grope his butt.

"Sweetheart, you _did_ marry that ass and everything that comes along."

"I'm very well aware of that." Effie drew him closer.

Haymitch couldn't believe how easily Effie could make him smile. "Just wanted to make sure."

"Thank you for doing this." Effie said while she roamed her hands over his back.

"What?"

"Marrying me. Doing all this celebrating. Dressing up. Dancing with me more than once."

"You said the wedding night would make it up to me and so far it did."

Effie beamed at him and brushed her lips against his once more.

* * *

"Third round?" Haymitch asked, trying to sound as casual as he could.

Effie replied with glaring at him. "Since we're married you think you don't need to put any effort into this anymore. Where did your seducing tricks go?"

"What seducing tricks?" Haymitch was confused what she was referring to and if she meant his famous arch of an eyebrow in combination with a gruff.

"Please, I don't want you to get lazy about this."

"Eff, please, will there be another round or will we start already the fighting like an old married couple? Because let me tell you, I prefer option number one."

Effie rolled her eyes. "There will be a third round as soon as I gather some more energy. In the meantime, would you mind cuddling a little?"

Haymitch growled, but both Effie and he knew it was just an act and he enjoyed the innocent body contact just as much as she did. Effie chimed in their little game of banter. "Oh, Haymitch, it's my wedding night. And may I remind you that if you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you." She was already gathered in his arms and she therefore couldn't see the smile that formed on his lips. She heard him chuckle and felt the vibrations in his chest.

The longer she lay in his arms, the more she could relax. Her thoughts carried her away little. It felt so familiar to have him caress her hair with soft absentminded strokes. She pushed away a little so he could hear what she had to say. "It doesn't feel different to be married, does it?"

"Nothing's changed, except for some extra weight on the ring finger."

"Oh, I remember now. You have something engraved in the ring, haven't you`?" Effie slipped her ring off to inspect it. She sat up to have a proper look and suitable lightning. It were tiny letters. She read the three words on it and the goose bumps hit her instantly. She took her time and closed her eyes for a moment. After a deep exhale, she turned in Haymitch's direction and responded to the three meaningful words. "I will."

Haymitch nodded. "Thought you'd take it as your token. Maybe it helps you remember to keep fighting."

"It will. It's some great advice." Effie agreed.

"Best I know." Haymitch said.

Effie sat back to lie down next to him. "Don't you want to check your ring?"

Haymitch held himself back to roll his eyes, instead he asked with a frown, "Can't you just tell me?"

Effie sighed, but told him anyway, "It says, I like you better sober."

"Classic trinket." Haymitch stated.

Effie cleared her throat, which made Haymitch correct himself while raising an eyebrow. "Abernathy?"

Effie's expression relaxed. "Get used to calling me that."

"You'll always be my precious trinket."

"Oh, Mr. Abernathy, aren't you sentimental tonight?" Effie joked

"Don't get used to it."

"Oh, trust me, I never will. It will always surprise me. But I like it very much." Effie said and reached for his arm to pull it over her middle again.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm afraid I'm taken."

"Don't you worry. I'm too tired anyhow." Effie yawned.

"Third round in the morning?" Haymitch asked as he buried his nose in her hair.

Effie nodded and closed her eyes. She moaned in disapproval when Haymitch removed his hand to turn the light on the nightstands off.

* * *

The morning came earlier and rougher than Haymitch had expected. He felt a weight on his chest and he was heavier than Effie's head, which usually rested there in the morning. Haymitch didn't need to open his eyes to know what was disturbing his sleep because the troublemaker voiced herself. "Daddy, Katniss said it's time for lunch."

Haymitch opened his eyes to see Poppy's head hovering over his. He couldn't suppress a smile because the sight caught him off guard.

"I think I've never seen you smiling as much as yesterday, Daddy." Poppy said and tracing a finger along his lips.

Haymitch lost his smile at his daughter's comment and frowned, which made Poppy explain herself. "It really suited you, you should do it more often."

"I'll try, sweetheart."

"I really like your smile." Poppy tried pulling his lips back to the smile.

"Thanks for telling me, but I'm married." He winked at her.

"I know, to my Mummy!" She exclaimed. Her grin grew wider and she turned her head to watch her mother still sleeping. She nudged her shoulder to wake her. "Mummy, it's lunchtime. You better wake up now."

Effie stirred and turned around to see Poppy sitting atop of Haymitch. She snuggled to Haymitch's side and greeted Poppy with a kiss. "We'll be down in a few minutes, my dear. Will you tell Katniss?"

Poppy nodded and hopped off Haymitch to get downstairs. As soon as she was out of sight, Effie rolled on top of Haymitch. She straddled his hips and brought her lips down to his. Haymitch definitely liked this kind of morning call better.

Between kisses Effie said, "You know, I like your smile too."

"You heard Poppy and me talking?" Haymitch asked when Effie brought her attention to his throat.

Effie nodded and kissed his lips some more. "She told me yesterday five times. She was really hesitant to tell you."

"Why would she?"

"She thought she would offend you."

"By telling me she liked me smiling?" Haymitch questioned.

"She didn't want to destroy your bad boy attitude. Once grumpy daddy, always grumpy daddy." Effie said and framed his face to kiss him. She deepened the kiss and it made Haymitch crazy. He pulled her closer and rolled them over, so she was pinned under his weight. After another long kiss, he pushed himself off her. She was panting heavily.

"Sweetheart, I think we should go down."

"Two more minutes." Effie pouted and pulled his face down.

Haymitch groaned when he heard Katniss yelling from downstairs. "Get your butts down here or I will come up and drag you down."

"She won't do that? Because I hoped for our third round in the morning." Effie said, bringing her hands through his hair and paid attention whether she could hear footsteps or not.

Haymitch chuckled. "I think she's very much aware of what's going on up here and won't dare coming up."

Effie agreed by pulling his face down again. "But we might want to close the door again."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading everybody. I hope you enjoyed this fluffy, and maybe a little pointless chapter, but I needed this. I hope you too.**

 **PS: Is there a canon-name for Finnick and Annie's son? I couldn't find one and I didn't want to steal it from anyone. So I hope you don't mind me skating around it with "Annie's son".**


	11. Parting

**Eleventh Chapter: Parting**

The days after the wedding passed by quickly. Too many activities had to be squeezed into too few days, so some plans had to be cancelled. Much to Haymitch's disapproval, Effie called off their honeymoon because she didn't want to leave the girls alone for a night. There was no discussion about it, Effie had decided and there were no more arguments about it.

Haymitch refused the idea, but knew that after all he was not Effie's first priority anymore. The girls were and training had taken up more time than they had intended. Effie's body didn't quite cooperate with the extra stress, the new diet and all the sport. More than once, she woke up feeling nauseous. She couldn't keep anything down longer than an hour and was throwing up quite often. She didn't gain as much weight as they all had hoped for. That fact only added extra pressure on herself and delayed training sometimes.

She had to cut time somewhere. One-on-one-time with Haymitch was one of those plans, which got cancelled first. He couldn't be angry with her, when he saw the hurt in her eyes when she told him the bad news. He reached out to wipe the tears away from her cheek. She caught his hand there and leaned into his caress. She fumbled with the ring on his left hand, a habit she had picked up ever since they had gotten married. He kissed her forehead and pulled his hand away. There were more important things to do than linger in the moment. Effie knew that too and switched back to a determined mode.

After that they days seemed to pass even quicker. Effie couldn't tell them apart anymore. They were filled with training, preparations and spending and enjoying time with girls. She couldn't hold on to them, even if she tried. It was all one big blur to her. She felt like she wasn't even in charge of her life anymore. Almost like on autopilot, no control of anything that happened around her, with her. It was only little moments she was able to hold onto, like her last night in their house. She was already settled under the cover. She waited for Haymitch, who was getting ready in the bathroom.

"Mum?" Daphne stood at the door to her parents' bedroom. Poppy was hiding behind her. "Can we come in?"

Effie sat up and smiled weakly. "Of course. Come here." She pulled the blanket aside for Daphne and Poppy and let them under it. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Poppy shook her head, while Daphne said, "I couldn't fall asleep in the first place."

"Oh, no, what kept you up?"

Daphne didn't respond right away, but snuggled against her mother's side. She buried her nose in Effie's nightgown and mumbled something, which Effie couldn't understand. She asked her to repeat herself. "I don't want you and Dad to go away."

"Oh, honey." Effie was short of words. She poured all of her words into the letter she had written in the last days. All these meaningful words were in there, sealed forever, for the future in which she couldn't be with them.

"Why can't we come with you?" Poppy asked.

"We've told you that we have to attend these events for the Games because your father once had been involved with them."

"Still. We could join you at those." Daphne argued.

"Don't be silly. It's boring. You'll have more fun with Sae."

"Where's the fun in that? She's old." Daphne sighed.

"Just because she's older doesn't mean you can't have fun with her. And what should your father say? Is he old and no fun?"

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm fun." Haymitch came out of the bathroom. "We have guests tonight?" He directed the question to Effie, who responded, "If you don't mind?"

Haymitch knew it was not his place to demand things, so he shrugged and settled under the covers, lying on his back. As soon as he lay down, Poppy crawled over her mother to his side. Her hair tickled his arm.

"Daddy, can I come with you? Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"Poppy, don't you understand a 'no'?"

She let herself fall on her back as well. Taking up most of the space in the bed. If Poppy wanted something, she could be melodramatic. "I don't want you to go."

"Me neither." Daphne said.

Effie didn't know how to respond to that and gathered Daphne in her right arm, pressing her against her side. Daphne brought her arms around her neck, hugging her tight.

Then Effie reached out to hold Poppy closer. Her head rested on Effie's elbow, so Poppy could still look at Haymitch, who covered the talking on this issue. "What is this about? You want to come to the Capitol or you'll actually miss us? Would it be fine if we all stayed here? Which means no present from the Capitol for you."

Daphne pulled her mother's arm tighter around her.

"Haymitch, please." Effie warned him.

"Sweetheart, I just want to know the real reason why we have intruders tonight."

"It's fine, Haymitch. I don't mind. Let go." She reached up to squeeze one of Poppy's hands. Effie liked to be wrapped between her girls like this. It was her favourite kind of sandwich.

Haymitch watched the three girls who could so easily have their way with him. It annoyed him in situations like this. He kept watching Daphne who tried escaping eye-contact with him. When their eyes met, Daphne shifted and tried pulling her mother's hand over her eyes.

"I guess it's both." Daphne mumbled eventually.

"I knew it." Haymitch groaned.

"But why are you all going on a trip without us?" Poppy asked.

"Trust me, if I could, I would stay here with you." Effie said.

"But you love to go to the Capitol." Daphne argued.

"Not this time. There's no place I'd rather be than home." Effie said, while patting over her hair.

Daphne sighed. She buried her nose against Effie's neck. Her voice was weak, almost teary. "You've never been gone so long. Three weeks."

"We'll call all the time." Effie said.

"Really?" Poppy interjected and looked over her shoulder to her mother, who nodded in response. She kissed Poppy and then Daphne.

Just when she thought Daphne was calming down, Poppy started to tremble. Poppy pulled Effie's arm closer and whispered. "It's still too long, Mummy."

"Yes, it is." Effie admitted and closed her eyes. She was getting teary too and didn't want to burst into tears in front of her girls. But Poppy's next words made it more difficult.

"I'm gonna miss you." Poppy said and finally turned around to cling to Effie as tightly as Daphne.

"Oh, Poppy, you have no idea how much I'm going to miss you and your sister."

It was no use. As soon as Poppy cried, Effie couldn't stop the tears from escaping as well, which made Daphne emotional all over again. It was a vicious circle. One infected the other.

Haymitch watched them crying and sobbing. When there was a phase of calming down going on, he tried lightening the mood and saving them from having another round of tears. He said, "What about me, girls? Won't you miss me?"

Poppy turned in Effie's arms. "Of course, Daddy."

"But?"

"It's just…" Poppy trailed off. She didn't know how to express it. "Mummy is…"

Haymitch nodded. "Mum is Mum. I get it." The bond between mother and daughter was special. Haymitch had learned that a long time ago. He would never be able to compete with that.

* * *

Effie couldn't recall how she had gotten from her house to the train station. All she remembered was how she stood in the living room, trying to take it all in the last time. She looked at the life she had built and had to leave behind. She looked at the couch where she'd cuddle up with the girls for a movie or even Haymitch on Thursday nights, which had gotten established as Mummy-and-Daddy-time in the family. She looked at the chair where Haymitch usually would sit, falling asleep or reading a book. She looked at the table where she'd place her cup of tea and play a board game in winter. She looked at the fireplace where they had the toasting not long ago and then at the mantel with family pictures. She brought her hand along a shelf, trying to regain the feeling what it was like to be happy and fearless.

The next thing she remembered was her girls dragging her outside, holding onto her hands, not letting go of her and she was glad they engaged her in a conversation. She couldn't recall the topic anymore. She couldn't remember how she had set one foot after the other. Luckily, she had learned walking a long time ago and it was an automatic custom to her now. Hearing her girls' voices calmed her down and reminded her she had to stay calm for them, even though inside her raged a storm.

Effie noticed Peeta and Katniss saying their goodbyes to the girls, she noticed them taking care of the luggage. She noticed Haymitch hugging the girls. She saw him frowning when Poppy complained that there would be no one at night to chase the monsters away. She noticed that Haymitch didn't board the train with Peeta and Katniss right away, but he decided to exchange a few words with Sae, who met them at the station to take care of Daphne and Poppy. Sae wasn't fond of the games. Sae even refused to watch any news about them or listen to any gossip on the streets. The girls were safe with her.

Finally, it was Effie's time to say goodbye. Goodbye for good. She missed the words she had to say. She prepared and practiced them, but she threw them overboard. She couldn't bring herself to say them. Just looking at her girls made her speechless, catching her breath.

She knelt down to be eye-level with her girls, reaching out to play with their hair to get their attention. She held on to them in a way. She stayed in contact while playing with their hair between her fingers. She made those two girls. If she was gone, these two were still there. She was half of Daphne and Poppy. As long as they were there, she was on this planet.

"Oh, you two, pay attention. You behave at Sae's. Say please and thank you. You'll listen to Sae, she's in charge now. I want you two on your best behaviour when I'm not around. I'll know even though I'm not there. Mothers have their eyes and ears everywhere. OK?"

Daphne and Poppy nodded. Effie was surprised how easily it went. She had expected Daphne to roll her eyes. Her words of warning were right at the tip of her tongue, but she didn't have to speak them. So, she decided to go into action-mode and drew her daughters into a hug. She shut her eyes, she tried keeping tears dropping down her cheeks. She pressed Daphne and Poppy harder against her, closer to her, until she could melt together with them.

"Mum, you're crushing us." Daphne said suddenly.

"One more minute." Effie insisted. She knew that Daphne wasn't much of a physical person and would say anything to end a hug. But it was Effie's last hug with her girls. She wouldn't give in to meaningless words.

Effie felt Daphne pushing away from her on her left side, but she drew her closer. Burying her hand in her hair. The thick blond hair she liked braiding so much. Her right hand was buried in Poppy's hair, holding her head in the crook of her neck. She noticed Poppy's lips whispering against her neck. "I can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry. Are you alright?" Effie released her girls from the bone-crushing hug.

Poppy coughed. "Yeah-yeah."

Effie felt the tears swelling up in her eyes and looked at her girls. She noticed how Poppy glanced to her sister. It felt like Poppy was searching for reassurement from her Daphne. The situation must be very confusing to them, Effie knew that. Effie understood that she was not the only one struggling with this parting.

"It's OK. You can go now." Daphne said, smiling softly. Her eyes drifting behind her mother.

Effie bit her lip, reaching for their hands to squeeze them. "You look out for each other. Promise me?"

"Mom, don't worry. We'll be here when you come back." Daphne drew Poppy close to her, who nodded her head.

It made Effie sigh. She leaned over to give both of them a kiss and decided that a quick parting would do all of them good.

After she turned around, she felt the tears escaping her eyes. She didn't dare to look over. She was afraid that she might not be able to board the train if she did. Haymitch waited for her at the door. Mumbling encouraging words she didn't hear because she was more concentrated on standing straight and listening to Daphne and Poppy's banter in the distance.

She was about to enter the train, when Poppy called for her. "Mummy!" She didn't have to time to turn around properly, when a pair of arms was around her middle, closely followed by a second pair. She pushed her daughters away to kneel down to gather their heads next to hers.

Yesterday's tears overcame them again. "Oh, my dears."

* * *

With every tree passing by, Effie was torn further away from her home and heading towards the dreadful. It was not that she truly understood how the tributes she reaped had felt, how her very own three victors must feel right now. They loathed this place, but the train would take them there anyway, passing tree after tree, district after district, to the cruel Capitol. Nothing had changed, except for the rules. Gamemakers and escorts were tributes and the tributes family took the Gamemakers place.

Effie held on to a wall, she hadn't moved for half an hour, still standing at the train door, looking through the window where she had last seen her girls.

She tensed when someone touched her shoulder. A voice rose, it was Peeta. "Don't you want to sit down with us, Effie?"

She nodded, but didn't move.

Peeta patted her back. Effie closed her eyes and turned around in one swift motion to be gathered in Peeta's arms. The last time she had someone as close as this was her girls and the thought crushed her. She didn't let herself fall completely with Peeta because it wouldn't be fair. It wasn't his job to catch her. Just knowing there was someone there for her, made her feel a little better.

"I love you." Effie whispered and left off for their train compartment. She slid the door aside and found Katniss sitting on the seat closest to the window, leaning against it, watching as the trees passed. Effie knew what she was going through.

Haymitch sat on the other side of the compartment, but on the seat closest to the door. His feet had been placed on the opposite seat, but he had placed them down to make room for Peeta and Effie to enter. However, Effie didn't know where to sit. She wasn't sure if Peeta sat next to Katniss or opposite of her. In fact, she didn't want to sit close to Katniss since she couldn't offer her the comfort she needed. Effie looked to her left where Haymitch had put his feet before, but Haymitch patted then the seat next to him. She smiled politely and sat down.

Peeta closed the door and sat on Effie's other side, opposite to Katniss, reaching out for Katniss's hand the second he had settled down.

Effie shifted in her seat, not sure how to sit and where to place her hands. She rested them on her knees, she crossed her legs. She didn't even lean back. She was still tense. She noticed Haymitch watching her.

"Sweetheart, that's an awfully uncomfortable position you're in. We've got a long journey ahead of us, you better get comfortable." He reached for her legs and placed them on the opposite seat next to his feet.

"Haymitch, we can't do that. The shoes are dirty."

"Take'em off."

Effie hesitated, but eventually slipped her shoes off and reached for Haymitch's shoelaces as well. Haymitch stirred. "Sweetheart, please."

"Someone might want to sit there again without getting dirty in the process. It's good manners."

He frowned, but kicked his shoes off, then he pulled at her shoulder, so she leaned back. He didn't let go off her, gripped her right shoulder to pull her closer. Then, he put the armrest aside, so their thighs would touch.

Effie relaxed a little at the body contact. She rested her left hand on his thigh, drawing patterns there. She looked out of the window, watching Katniss and Peeta from time to time, words were not necessary.

* * *

They arrived in the Capitol the next day, making their way towards their hotel where they would stay. Effie no longer had an apartment in the city. It would be a waste of money. They hardly ever came here in the past anyway. The hotel was located on a busy road, right in the centre. They were passing shops on their way. They tried to keep a low profile so no one would recognize them and then harass them. They were walking quickly.

Suddenly Effie gripped Haymitch's wrist to stop him and drag him in front of a shop window of a jeweller's. "Do you see the bracelets over there?" She pointed to them. "These are perfect for the girls. Come on." She looked at him.

"What about Peeta and-" Haymitch could not finish his sentence because Effie dragged him into the shop. Effie was soon engaged in a lively conversation with the shop assistant, who said, "You can take the segments off easily and add them as they grow. They are sturdy and I can give you a five year guaranty, but you can come anytime and I fix them for you if the bracelets are broken."

"Are they also available in gold?"

"Of course. White gold? Rosé?"

"No, regular yellow gold, please."

"I see." The shop assistant hesitated. "Are you sure you want yellow gold? It's not in style these days. I think your daughters will appreciate white gold more."

"Thanks for your input, but I am the customer here and my decision is final. Yellow gold, please." Effie smiled at the shop assistant with determination. Not losing her temper at failing at doing her job properly and doing what the customer asked for.

As the shop assistant looked for the yellow gold bracelets, Haymitch asked. "Why gold?"

Effie looked down at her wedding ring, turning it around her finger. The yellow gold shimmered in the light inside the shop. "Because we're a team. And they should be a part of it."

* * *

Haymitch heard grumbling from the bedroom, so he left the bathroom to find Effie rearranging the hotel interior. She didn't notice him entering the room and was frightened when he suddenly stood behind her.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Haymitch asked.

Effie sighed. Haymitch could instantly tell that something was worrying him. He kept looking at her, encourage her somehow to speak him, which she eventually did. "There was alcohol in the minibar."

"Oh." Haymitch swallowed. He hadn't thought about alcohol yet. Now it was on the table and he didn't know how to not think about it anymore.

"Yes, and I panicked, so I hid it in the room. You know, out of sight out of mind. And I just want to protect you, not leading you into temptation. It's only for security reasons. I mean, I can spill it in the bathroom too, but I can't do that with you in there and I am scared that even the smell could trigger habits that you have long ago abounded. There was no other way than to do that."

Haymitch didn't know how to respond to that waterfall. All he knew was that he wouldn't be able to fight her about this. She knew what was best in that case. She handled it the best way she could. It was probably a better than anything he would come up with. "OK."

"Don't you want to say more?"

"Why?"

Effie shrugged, but still looking at him expectantly.

He decided to give her a little more words to make her calm about this. "It's good that it's gone."

Haymitch then reached for the remote to turn the TV on. He wanted to catch up on the news. They had shown the arrival of several possible tributes. Sightings of them had taken place all over the city and Paparazzi were all over the place. They would have to face them at some point too.

For a moment, Effie sat next to him, but she left when the commentary pointed out how well trained most of them looked. They saw the determination in most of their eyes and the commentator were just as excited as Ceasar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith used to be.

Effie had to get ready for tea with her sister anyway. Meeting went by quicker than she had expected. It was surprisingly smooth and without stress. People acted nicer when the one of them was about to die in the future soon. They exchange mostly pleasantries and one or two memories of their childhood and their parents. Parting was nevertheless difficult. It was always hard. Effie hadn't gotten used to it over the last weeks.

She dreaded good-byes, which had to come soon. She shared one more dinner with Katniss and Peeta in the city, which would act as her good-bye dinner from her life. The most delicious food was served, but the mood was not as cheery as she hoped it would be. The reaping the next day hovered over them like a dark cloud. Most of the time was spent in silence, the mood lightened a bit when they reached desert and chocolate covered strawberries were served. It felt like a flashback to the nights spent in the penthouse, nights on the victory tour, nights in Twelve with family dinners or the wedding and Effie's dress covered in chocolate.

They left the restaurant at some point. Paparazzi had spotted them and tried getting a statement from them. It made all of them uneasy. They weren't in the mood to talk to them, they had nothing to say to them.

They paid and left for the hotel. Being in the hotel meant they had to part. And parting was hard. It felt like a good-bye. Like a practice round of goodbyes for tomorrow. The last goodbye, which still meant a "see you for sure". The next one might be forever.

Once Effie hugged Peeta, Katniss took his turn and as soon as she finished Peeta searched for another embrace with Effie. They took turns for a while, but eventually ended up in a group hug. Effie never felt safer than with her kids surrounding her. There was no need to cry. It was not the place for it. The silence was expression enough for all their sadness and hurt which was in all of them.

Haymitch didn't dare to interrupt their gathering. He leaned against the wall, playing with the keys in his hands.

"It's alright, children. We see each other in the morning." Effie said. She felt them nodding, but none of them moved. It was one of these moments, in which you wanted time to stop.

Haymitch tried not to be impatient, but he exhaled loudly, which made the others turn their heads.

"You should join this." Katniss said.

"Oh, yes, Haymitch. Come on!" Peeta chimed in.

Effie smiled to herself. She knew why she referred to Katniss and Peeta as their kids. They reminded her Daphne and Poppy in these moments, but unlike Daphne and Poppy Katniss and Peeta couldn't persuade Haymitch to do things he didn't enjoy. Haymitch grumbled, shook his head and crossed his arms in front of him.

Effie tiled her head. "Darling, please." Effie said, but she didn't stretch an arm in his direction because that meant she would have to let go off Katniss and Peeta and she wasn't ready for that.

Haymitch didn't give in to the sweet asking of Effie. "This is not goodbye." He simply said and turned around to leave for the room.

* * *

"I can't shake the feeling that it isn't Effie who should be our main concern but Haymitch." Peeta said while he got ready for bed.

"Haymitch? But he's doing fine. You've seen him." Katniss argued back.

"I know. But I also know that Effie won't break apart if she gets reaped tomorrow. However, I'm not sure how Haymitch will react."

"We can only assume. Same applies to us. We don't know we'll actually react even though we're prepared."

"Let's take this further." Peeta said. "If Effie doesn't come back, what will this do to Haymitch?"

"Probably nothing good." Katniss shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure he'll drink. And we both know what the alcohol will do to him as a sober alcoholic. It will destroy him."

Katniss hesitated to answer, but Peeta elaborated anyway. "If Effie doesn't survive, Daphne and Poppy will lose both their parents because Haymitch won't forgive himself for this and drink himself to death. Exactly what he did after losing his family the first time. I know it. You know it. I'm pretty sure Effie knows and deep down Haymitch knows too. We all know it!"

Peeta expected any kind of reaction to his outburst, but Katniss remained silent. She didn't look at him, but to a corner on the floor. When he stepped closer to her, Katniss started to tremble. Her voice was just above a whisper. "I didn't."

"Oh Katniss." Peeta sighed.

Katniss closed her yes to suppress tears from coming out of her eyes. She shook her head. She tried fighting the thought with it. "We can't lose them both."

"Katniss, I'm sorry. I thought you knew." Peeta reached out to pat her shoulder.

Katniss shook her head all over again, crossed her arms in front of her chest, trying to embrace herself. Peeta drew her close and placed a kiss on top of her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you."

Katniss let herself fall into the hug. Peeta was indeed her safety-net. Between sobs she said, "How could I not know about this?"

Peeta frowned. "It's just a feeling I have."

Even in Peeta's arms Katniss couldn't stop herself from shaking her head. Peeta couldn't take back the thought he had planted in her head. "But it makes sense. So much sense."

"Let's wait and see tomorrow. We'll know tomorrow for sure. Let's not think about what-ifs anymore."

Katniss finally nodded and Peeta exhaled out of relief. A tough time was ahead of them. They should spare their energy for facing it than thinking about possibilities.

* * *

Effie and Haymitch lay in the bed. The lights on the nightstand were still turned on. Effie stared at the ceiling as she said, "I don't want to go to sleep yet. It's still early."

"We don't have to." Haymitch rolled over to nuzzle her neck.

However, Effie pushed him away. "I don't want to sleep with you either. Not now. We'll get to one or two rounds still. So no face! The last time was not the last one. I just don't want to sleep yet. It feels like a waste of time. I still have over 12 hours left. It's plenty of time."

Haymitch nodded. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"No and we have eaten already, so that's out too." She snuggled closer to him, inhaling his scent. She felt like crying again.

Haymitch patted her head and ran his fingers through her hair. He felt helpless. He said the first thing that came to his mind, "Is Effie you real name?"

She pushed away from him and shot him a glare. She felt offended by him asking this. She was about to give him a snippy answer when he explained himself, "Let's just talk about things we've never spoken about before."

Effie hesitated.

"You don't want to sleep, you don't want to screw me, but apparently you want to have a calm evening with loads of body contact." He wiggled his left leg, which was trapped between hers. "So let's talk. I can't stand the silence."

"There's always music." Effie mumbled.

"Not feeling like it."

Effie nodded and bit her lip for a moment. "Let's then talk about the unsaid. No taboos? Every question is allowed and they have to be answered with complete honesty?"

"No holding back and no limits." Haymitch confirmed.

"Ok, then start." Effie said.

"Is Effie you real name?"

"Sticking to that question." Effie was surprised when she giggled for a second.

Haymitch nodded against her neck, covering it with kisses to make her relax. And Effie had no other choice than to answer honestly.

* * *

 _Are you all doing OK after this?_

 _I'll be honest with you, this was such a tough chapter to write. I struggled a little, all these emotions in there._

 _Thanks for reading and have a lovely day/week._


	12. Honesty

_I tried something new here. It's basically all dialogue. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do._

 **Twelfth Chapter: Honesty**

E: How many women have you slept with?

H: Counter question. How many _men_ have you slept with?

E: You don't ask a lady that!

H: No limits!

E: Since we both don't want to answer it, I withdraw my question. Will you do the same?

H: Great start with this no holding back and no taboos thing.

E: Well, care to answer my question?

H: Withdraw the question.

E: Alright.

H: I'm not withdrawing mine.

E: Haymitch!

H: So are we talking more than 10?

E: …

H: Come on! I'll tell you my number afterwards.

E: That's an easy trick, which I _won't_ fall for.

H: Sweetheart, _please_.

E: … Only one-

H: What?

E: -who matters. The others… Who cares about them?

H: Sweetheart…

E: What's the deal with the sweetheart-thing?

H: I don't understand.

E: Why do you call basically everybody sweetheart?

H: Because I instantly know if someone's a sweetheart or an ass. You don't like me calling you that?

E: No, it's fine…

H: But?

E: You call _everybody_ like that!

H: You don't feel special, that's it. You want a pet-name exclusively for you?

E: No, I just want to hear the story behind this sweetheart thing. Where does it come from? When did this habit start?

H: Can't remember exactly.

E: Try harder with your answers, Haymitch, please.

H: I'm not sure. I suppose it started out as a joke to talk you Capitol people or anybody who got on my nerves.

E: And?

H: It turned out as something else over the years. A habit I can't shake off anymore. It's part of who I am. Hell, I even like saying it. They way you look at me sometimes when I say it is- … The girls too.

E: I like being your sweetheart.

H: I've noticed.

E: … When was the last time you told the girls you loved them?

H: I can't remember.

E: You have to tell them more often, Haymitch.

H: Declaring my love is nothing I do, Effie, you know that.

E: They are your daughters, Haymitch!

H: Still.

E: They _need_ to hear it. They shouldn't just assume at their age.

H: …

E: Please. For me?

H: I'll try.

E: Thank you.

H: Why-

E: Would-

H: You go first.

E: No, you should.

H: It's ladies first, isn't it?

E: It is. … Would rather have two boys instead of two girls?

H: Haven't thought about that.

E: Then think about it now!

H: …

E: I can imagine you with two boys.

H: I can't imagine you with two boys.

E: I would deal. It would be hard, I have to admit, but I would manage. I'm used to you, and Peeta is not that bad. And Katniss is basically a boy, so… We needed girls.

H: I agree.

E: You're such a ladies' man.

H: I'm not denying it.

E: What was your question?

H: Why did you wear all these wigs?

E: You've _never_ asked me that. You've always told me to stop wearing them or that they looked _ridiculous_ , but you never ever wanted to know that.

H: We started this thing where we talk about anything we haven't talked about, sweetheart.

E: Yes, sure, you're right - for _once_.

H: Always nice to hear things for the first time.

E: Shut up.

H: There's another one. I'm really lucky tonight.

E: You're insufferable.

H: I've heard that one. … So?

E: It's an easy question. It spared me time. … I had, well I _wanted_ to look perfect. Getting ready in the morning took me ages. Getting on the dresses and all the accessories, applying the massive amount of make-up and doing my hair would at least take three hours, sometimes even longer. I could save about an hour or an hour and a half by wearing wigs.

H: Really? It's that simple?

E: Yes. Especially when you consider the fact that you'd need a hairdresser for all these extravagant hairstyle which were in style. And all these different hair colours. How would I be able to change colours within a day. My natural hair would have been a complete disaster. So I had quite a lot of wigs, which were already in a perfectly fine hairstyle and I put them on. I still had the makeup and the dressing to do, which still took ages.

H: You never had issues with your natural hair?

E: No, why would I?

H: Because you do _now_.

E: Before wearing wigs I was totally fine with my hair. It was as thick as Daphne's and had the same colour as Poppy's. Well, what can I say over the years I got used to perfect hair and my natural one couldn't live up to that anymore. I'm over 40 now, it's natural for my hair to get thinner and greyish. So, when my hair has bad-hair-day and _everyone_ has those I put them under a headscarf. Out of sight out of mind, you know?

H: I like your hair. Bad-hair-day or not.

E: I know, thanks. It's just an issue I have developed. And in case you haven't noticed, I stopped wearing wigs.

H: Hard not to. You looked ridiculous.

E: I did not! You just didn't like them.

H I wasn't fond of them.

E: Tell me something new.

H: Looked like a clown.

E: That's why I stopped wearing them.

H: Because you didn't want to look like a clown anymore?

E: Because you hated them.

H: You changed for me?

E: I liked hearing you say I was beautiful.

H: Well, you _are_. … Even with the wigs.

E: You're not lying?

H: I thought this was about talking about the unsaid?

E: It is. … So, you're saying you liked me dressed up?

H: Some outfits may have had a certain appeal to them.

E: Which one?

H: Remember the dress you wore to Katniss and Peeta's victory ball?

E: Of course. Why that one?

H: Liked how big the collar was. Would have been a good shield from all the stares while kissing you in a corner.

E: You wanted to kiss me back then?

H: Shovel your smile away. You wanted the same.

E: Not on _that_ evening.

H: Liar!

E: I'm not lying. Victory ball was all about showing of my victors. Not time for kissing, I had to enjoy it as good as I could.

H: That throws off my self-esteem.

E: Now _you're_ lying. Haymitch Abernathy is not insecure. Not a second in his life. … What? Did I say something wrong? … Haymitch, you're scaring me. ... Say something!

H: … I love you.

E: …

H: …

E: What?

H: You've heard me.

E: No, say it again, please. … It took you 10 years to say it. I deserve to hear it more than once.

H: First you have to say it back.

E: You know that I lo-

H: That's not the same.

E: OK. … I love you, Haymitch.

H: I- … I love you.

E: I love you too. … I know I'm greedy but can I hear it once more?

H: Eff.

E: Haymitch, I love you. … I love you will all my heart. … I love you with everything I have. … That's how much I love you.

H: Eff…

E: You love me the same way?

H: … Yes … I do.

E: …

H: It's not a dream, Effie. This is happening.

E: It feels like one.

H: This won't change.

E: You're sure?

H: Yes.

E: …

H: Well, then that's settled.

E: When did you start having a crush on me?

H: No crushes for me.

E: OK, when was the first time you thought of screwing me?

H: Can't remember when exactly, but probably every time you were annoying and insufferable. It would have shut you up.

E: We both know it _wouldn't_ have.

H: … When did you start crushing on me?

E: I always thought you were handsome. But these deeper feelings developed over time, over the little things. It took me years to understand that you drank because you couldn't take the children dying. You cared about them, which made me care about you. Then you were quite protective over me. If a sponsor goggled me too long you were practically at their throats. And there were Peeta and Katniss. As soon as they were there and we both knew we had a victor at our hand. We teamed up, we worked well together. And victory tour sealed the deal on my behalf. I always thought you'd ask me to dance at victory ball.

H: I thought you were _too occupied_ for kissing at victory ball.

E: There, yes, but afterwards. A little private celebration wouldn't have done any harm.

H: Effie, you're planting thoughts in my head.

E: Nice?

H: Very.

E: …

H: …

E: What's your biggest regret?

H: Another cliché question.

E: Just answer it!

H: Nothing to regret.

E: Come on, there must be something! … Is it your girl?

H: No. … Wouldn't be here then.

E: … Mine is being so blind. A _rebellion_. How could I not see it when it was happening right in front of me?

H: You'd probably be dead by now if you did know.

E: Why would I?

H: It was good that you knew nothing. The torture the Capitol made you go through couldn't break you, because there was nothing for you to spill. You never know whether you'd spilled anything if you knew. That way the rebellion was at no risk and you were alive because the Capitol thought since you haven't talked yet that you must know something. _Not knowing_ saved you life.

E: Well, then no regrets on my behalf. … Maybe, not sleeping with you earlier.

H: …

E: We missed out on a lot of good sex. We were both younger and can you imagine my body back then? How everything looked? Still tight. Before having two children wearing me out like this?

H: I like you better like this.

E: That's not true. You have to stay that to get into my pants.

H: I don't have to. We speak nothing but the truth tonight, remember?

E: And your biggest regret?

H: Same as yours.

E: Now, that's just an easy way out of this question. You're a cheater.

H: Sweetheart, that's no news. I've always been. You must know by now.

E: I want a _proper_ answer.

H: You mean a sentimental statement about you? Because you assume my biggest regret is about you.

E: Isn't it?

H: …

E: It can't be being unable to safe your family because you won't know if life would have turned out the same way then. If the rebellion would have taken place. And I'm pretty sure you'd choose a free Panem over your family being alive. Right?

H: …

E: It's OK. They aren't mad with you for acting like this, for choosing the greater good over theirs.

H: …

E: Well. … I actually came to like you beard. I never thought I would.

H: ...

E: I do. I swear. I like you shaved as well. Either way is fine. I'm just as surprised as you are, so don't look at me like this. … I know that look and no, you just had your way with me. Ask another question.

H: Katniss or Peeta?

E: Seriously?

H: Yeah.

E: You make me chose between them? How should I do that?

H: Just answer it.

E: No!

H: I go first. … Peeta.

E: Pardon me?

H: I'd choose Peeta.

E: Don't be preposterous. You'd choose Katniss. You _did_ in the past!

H: Not necessarily because I _liked_ her better.

E: Wow. Peeta. I would have never thought that.

H: Well, we are talking about the unsaid.

E: We definitely are. I've learned _a lot_ tonight.

H: What about you? Katniss or Peeta?

E: Katniss.

H: Katniss is hard to love. I admire Peeta.

E: Oh no, it's pretty easy to love her. The only thing that makes it a challenge is that she doesn't return the love in the same way.

H: … Is it the same with me?

E: It used to be but I knew what I was leaping into and so does Peeta. ... Don't worry. These wrinkles don't look good on you.

H: Age has caught up with me, sweetheart.

E: You're still handsome to me.

H: Before you distract me with your hands there, one more question: Poppy or Daphne?

E: It's _oblivious_ that you're wrapped around Poppy's little finger.

H: And you?

E: Daphne. … I admire her a lot. She's so wild, a thunderstorm and the same time a real lady. She loves to dress-up and looking all beautiful. Even if she wears the prettiest dress she's off to climb a tree. She doesn't need to be boy to do wild things like Katniss, who is just the worst at being a woman. She does everything Katniss does with a dress on. Even though in that process she shows off her underwear, which is a totally kind of different wild but still. She's precious.

H: What about Poppy?

E: I don't love Poppy any less. She's adorable. A kid through and through. A natural charmer and happy-soul. She has the heart at the right place and is much calmer and thoughtful. She'll be everyone's darling someday and probably having a hard time pleasing everybody. I hope Daphne shows her the way to some selfish behaviour because we both knew at some point being selfish is not bad. Poppy reminds me a lot of Annie, but more outgoing and she has the same innocent touch like Katniss. Naive, but always seeing the best in situations. … What do you think?

H: I agree.

E: …

H: Where do you see our girls in ten, fifteen years?

E: Daphne will struggle in school.

H: She already does.

E: So, college… I don't know.

H: I'll kick her ass, so she finishes school. Don't worry about that.

E: Oh, I can imagine the yelling going on in the house.

H. It will be tough for Poppy.

E: She will mediate between the two of you. She's stuck in the middle.

H: And what will Poppy do?

E: Poppy will work with people. Helping people. Caring for people.

H: So, maybe a doctor?

E: Maybe. … You know, I think it's no coincidence that both Poppy and Prim are named after flowers. They have some similarities. Prim was supposed to become a doctor.

H: I know.

E: Do you think Katniss sees it too?

H: Katniss adores those girls, so I think it's safe to say 'yes'.

E: True.

H: Hey, I think I can see pattern here. With what kind of people you prefer.

E: You _do_?

H: Yes, you like them wild and hard to reach. Katniss, Daphne and-

E: You?

H: Well, yes.

E: I'm sorry to break this to you, but you've got a pattern too. You like the warm-hearted and caring ones like Peeta, Poppy and me.

H: Well…

E: Well, what?

H: … Then we both have a pattern.

E: There's worse in the world.

H: …

E: What will you do when I'm not around anymore?

H: What do you mean? If I will take on new hobby because I'll have so much more free-time. … I'll probably get some geese to occupy myself.

E: That's not what I meant. Won't you be lonely?

H: How can I with the girls and the kids around?

E: …

H: You're serious? You want me to have another woman?

E: It's not that ridiculous. You're still young. … Youngish. … At least you still have loads of years left, so I wouldn't mind if-

H: I don't need to.

E: But what if it happens?

H: It won't!

E: How do you know?

H: I just do, ok? There won't be someone else.

E: What about your _needs_?

H: For the time being I will take care of that myself.

E: Haymitch!

H: I'm done talking about this.

E: Still if there might be the slightest chance for you to have another woman, I'm ok with it.

H: Wouldn't need you permission, if it ever happened.

E: Oh, you would. When I die, it makes you a widower. Theoretically, we're still married then, there's no divorce.

H: Till death parts us, Eff, the ending of marriage is indicated with someone's death.

E: I refuse to believe that.

H: So, we're still married, even though one of us might be dead?

E: Yes.

H: Fine by me, since I didn't want to have another one of these annoying wives that you are in the first place.

E: Very well.

H: And you won't do the same to me?

E: You mean in heaven? Of course, I'll have nothing else to do than wait for you.

H: No, I mean, if _I_ died before you, would you consider another man?

E: That's a silly question.

H: Why? You asked me the same!

E: But you'll actually going to have to face a reality where a second wife or at least a lover can be considered, whereas for me this question is nothing but a thought experiment. Nothing more, what's the purpose thinking about it?

H: Just pretend ok? Or is this your way of sneaking out of an honest answer? Would you have another man if I died?

E: Don't be ridiculous. I wouldn't get myself another man, they are just too much work.

H: Come on, you would be bored without one.

E: I'll have the children and the girls. And hopefully I might have some grandchildren by then.

H: See, you gave the same answer as I did.

E: However, for me it's a theoretical and for you it's given reality.

H: It's _not_.

E: Can we just stop pretending? For one evening I'd like to stop pretend that I'll come back, that I'll survive this. I'm not as good in shape as I should be. I'm feeling overwhelmed by emotions. I don't know if I remember half the things you taught me over the last two months. I'm not sure I can differ a toxic from an edible mushroom anymore. I'm not sure I can make it.

H: You think I was _sure_ when I was reaped? That I'll make the victor of a Quarter Quell? … You think Katniss was sure to win this? Peeta? We were _lucky_. And maybe you are too. There's no guarantee, but giving up hope is the worst you can do.

E: I'm not giving up hope, I face the reality. And after seeing the others, the other participants, I might add that I'm weak, even after training. I'm old, _much older_ than most of them, tiny, slowly probably. I won't make it and I'm so fed up with the optimism around me. For once I'd like to accept that I'm as good as dead. OK?

H: Whatever you want, sweetheart.

E: Thank you. … You know, I wonder what my life would look like If I had known ten years ago I was going to get punished by being thrown into these Games.

H: Probably the same as now.

E: … Perhaps. … To be honest, I think I wouldn't have gotten Daphne and Poppy. I love them - dearly and because I do I wouldn't have had children if I knew I couldn't be with them. That would have been negligent on my behalf and irresponsible.

H: …

E: It's a horrible thing to say.

H: Heard worse.

E: Out of my mouth?

H: Yeah.

E: When?

H: At every reaping.

E: …

H: Eff.

E: ….

H: Eff.

E: I'm scared.

H: I know.

E: I've never been more scared in my entire life. It's awful. I can't do anything. I have to sit and watch it happen. I don't know what tomorrow will bring and it scares me. I scares me so badly.

H: Eff.

E: Just hold me. There's nothing else you can do. I know. Just- Just hold me. Tighter! Hold me really tight. Don't let me go. Don't ever let me go.

H: Eff.

E: Just one more minute. It will pass. I promise, the fear always goes by.

H: How long are you having these panic attacks again?

E: Frist time since the announcement. There was no time to break down in between.

H: Do you need your pills?

E: No. It's fine. Just hold me like this and it will go by.

H: OK.

E: … We should've have run away from this.

H: You want to live in the _woods_ with Katniss, Peeta and the girls?

E: Yes, at least we are safe there.

H: You want to leave civilisation? You? Who is enjoying hot showers every morning?

E: If it means I get to stay alive, yes, I'm choosing the wild life. Think about it, I can hold up with Katniss, Peeta and you. I know how to handle a knife; I know how to survive in the woods. I know now. Why didn't we think about that?

H: Because it's _crazy_.

E: You like the crazy. We could settle down somewhere in the woods, build a house even. We could manage.

H: We couldn't.

E: … It's too late now anyway.

H: We are no runners, Effie.

E: Not even after two months of running training?

H: Not even then. … But in the arena-

E: I run away from the cornucopia, I know.

H: You're better?

E: … I want to stay in this moment forever. Right here. Right now.

H: …

E: Can you stop the time for me?

H: I would, if I could.

E: Haymitch?

H: Yeah?

E: After the war, if you wouldn't have needed to escort Katniss back to Twelve, what would you have done? You presence was needed in the Capitol. You were one of the leaders of this rebellion.

H: Katniss needed me more and I didn't trust anyone else with her. I had to go. It was my duty and responsibility.

E: But-

H: I would have never chosen Twelve as my home. There's nothing like home to me. A free Panem was always an illusion. I never wasted a thought about a life afterwards. Maybe because I just assumed, I'd be dead. I couldn't handle a free Panem. It destroyed me.

E: I remember. You were awful when I first arrived there.

H: I don't know whether it was worse during the Games or after the rebellion.

E: After the rebellion, Haymitch. I didn't recognize you at first.

H: Drinking kept me sane.

E: …

H: That's what I thought.

E: You-

H: Don't! We've talked about this before.

E: I just wanted to remind you off what I asked you. It's engraved on this ring.

H: I will as long as you the same with what I asked you.

E: Of course. That's my priority.

H: Good.

E: … Any more questions?

H: Are you ready to sleep now?

E: I think so.

H. Good. … That was some talk.

E: Best we ever had.

H: Does it make it easier for you to let go after this?

E: Honestly? … Yes and no.

* * *

 _I hope you were able to fill in the blanks and ... with whatever you imagined; whether it was a sigh, an eye-roll, a pause, a kiss, or something else. Thank you for reading. (:_

 _And thank you for your reviews, baemitchabernathy, I can't reply to them with a PM. I'm happy you enjoy the story._


	13. Goodbyes

I'm back with an update. Sorry for taking so long, but life got crazy with college, work, and the Gilmore Girls Revival. I'm here with a new chapter and - yes indeed - it finally includes the Reaping! Enjoy it. (:

* * *

 **Thirteenth Chapter: Goodbyes**

The morning was finally there. Effie had dreaded this day for two months and had wished for it to never come, but the sun had made its way through the curtains and made her understand the night was long over. She had to face whatever the day might bring. Effie turned around, facing away from the window, trying to get herself just another peaceful minute in bed with Haymitch. She wasn't surprised when she noticed Haymitch was indeed awake too. Even though they had spoken through half of the night, they were up early. She locked eyes with him and couldn't help herself but smile. She loved this man and now she knew he loved her back. Last night's conversation brought them closer together. She knew things about him she never thought she'd hear from him and he certainly knew every single bit of her. She reached out to cup his cheek and placed a kiss against his lips, just because she could. She had to embrace the chance as long as she still could. Haymitch responded to the kiss and gathered her into his arms again.

While being close to him, Effie worked up the courage to make the final call to her daughters. The physical goodbye two days ago was one thing, but the final call, the final time she might hear her daughter's voices was the hardest part. Her fingers trembled as she dialled the number to Sae's home where the girls were staying at the moment. The phone-call was indeed hard, she fought the tears more than once, her voice was trembling, and she searched for Haymitch's hand to squeeze it when the emotions were about to overcome her.

However, she remained strong and didn't burst into tears. she enjoyed her daughter's voices and prolonged the conversation by asking questions. Daphne got annoyed by it and eventually said, "Mum, I've already told you that." Effie indeed asked the same questions over and over again. Daphne handed the phone to Poppy who could easily talk like a waterfall, never stopping, telling her mother every single detail of her day. Effie paid attention and tried to imagine Poppy's face when she told her those kinds of things. Eventually, even Poppy was all talked out and didn't know what to say anymore. They ended the call and Effie handed the phone to Haymitch.

"Was I wrong to not tell the girls?" Effie asked. She had been thinking about this the whole time talking to the girls.

Haymitch didn't respond and by doing that he gave her an answer. Effie gasped. "I was. Oh my gosh, I have to tell them. Could you give me the phone again, please? I need to call them again."

"Sweetheart, it's too late." Haymitch placed the phone back to the loading-station on the shelf close to the mirror.

"No, there's still time." Effie argued.

"Not for this. Think about it. You want to tell them you'll die over the phone? When you can't even take them in your arms?"

"They should know, Haymitch." Suddenly, the tears Effie held back during the phone-call with her daughters overcame her. Her voice trembled as she said, "I should have told them. They deserve to know. They need to know that they won't see me again. How could I let this happen? How could you let me do this? This is awful."

"It's fine," Haymitch said dismissively.

"No, it's wrong!" Effie let out a wail. She crashed against Haymitch's chest, sobbing, clinging onto his shoulders. "I want my girls. I want my girls." She said it over and over again. It was calming her down. The girls were all she could think off. She took her time catching her breath, moaning and sobbing even louder. She dug her fingers into Haymitch's shirt and squeezed his skin in the process, but she didn't notice it. All she registered was the hurt and regret washing over her. Her knees were wobbly and gave eventually in, but she didn't fall to the ground because the arms she clinged to held her up. Her screams were muffled against Haymitch's skin.

"Effie, hold on a second." Haymitch made her sit down on the edge of the bed and went to go through his bag.

"I should call them again." Effie snivelled.

"No!" Haymitch barked, but then said with a softer voice, "You may say something in the pre-games-interview, but we won't call them now. Maybe in the evening again."

"Haymitch, this-"

He cut her off, "It is what it is. We'll deal with it."

"I don't know how." She shook her head.

"Here!" He handed her a piece of paper.

"What is this?" Effie asked.

"Open it!"

It was a picture of Daphne and Poppy. Her girls smiling broadly into the camera. They were holding flowers in their hands, yellow and periwinkle. It was taken on their wedding. She remembered the day and couldn't help herself but smile.

"Your girls are with you." Haymitch said.

Effie looked up to meet his gaze and whispered, "Thank you."

Haymitch waved it off.

"I'm sorry for putting you through this." Effie wiped the tears from her cheeks, still looking at her innocent daughters.

"Not your fault."

"With the girls it is mine." She argued.

"You did what you thought was right."

"But it isn't."

"We can't change it." He shrugged.

Effie bit her lip, let the words sink in for a moment, and stared at the picture. Haymitch brought her back to reality with asking, "What now?"

"Shower?" Effie looked to the clock behind him and the time was running out. There were still a lot of things which need to be done until her time was up.

"You go first, " he said.

Effie nodded and when she passed him, she pressed a kiss on his lips. She stared up to him, not moving, just standing in front of him. The tension rose. She sighed. "You can join me."

"Eff, I-"

But she cut him off, "Please." She leaned up to kiss him again. She got carried away and leaned against him, but she was to weak to bring her hands on him. Her arms were dangling besides her body. When she detached herself she said, "I'm sorry, I freaked. I'm me again. It's fine that the girls don't know. It's what I wanted when I was clearer. I'm not thinking straight at the moment. And I don't want this to ruin my last hours with you. Please."

She tiled her head and gave him a wary smile. "Haymitch, I promise, I won't freak out anymore. I'm calmer. I can accept it. I have accepted it. All I need now is you with me in the shower right now." She pecked his lips once more and reached for his hands to drag him to the bathroom.

* * *

The morning passed by way to quickly for Effie's taste. Suddenly, she had to rush to get her stuff in order and pack them into the luggage she brought along. She took her time to get ready. She would face a lot of cameras and nothing but perfection would be tolerated. It soothed her nerves to concentrate on a task. There was no time for emotions breaking to the surface again.

Not until Peeta and Katniss knocked at the door to pick them up for the final walk she would have to take. All four of them stood in the foyer of the hotel-suite and took in the magnitude of this moment. Effie put it into words, "It's the last time we're in private. The last time that it's just the four of us."

Peeta asked, "What do we do?"

"If this is goodbye…" Haymitch trailed off.

Effie shook her head. They boys didn't know how to handle emotions or situations like this. She sighed and said what felt right, "We're a team."

Afterwards, she reached to hold Katniss' hand, who looked down to her hand. Right then it hit them all. They had grown so much since "We're a team" was first established. Katniss said, "We're not a team. We're more."

Katniss withdrew her hand from Effie's and brought her arm around her shoulders. Then, she put her other arm around Peeta. Effie and Peeta responded to it immediately and brought their arms around Katniss. They reached at the same time out to Haymitch, so he couldn't escape another group-hug.

Haymitch was reluctant, patting both Peeta and Effie's back dismissively, but he knew the others needed their moment of weakness. The moment in which they shared emotions without the public watching them.

Eventually, they ended the embrace and there was nothing left to say. They were just standing in the foyer, stalling, and hesitant to leave the hotel. What was waiting outside the hotel was not something they were looking forward to.

Effie cleared her throat and said to Peeta and Haymitch, "Would you mind giving me a minute with Katniss in private, boys?"

The two men nodded and left the room. When the door closed, Katniss reached into her pocket and then reached for Effie's hand to place something small into her palm. It was something gold, something made out of metal. It was Katniss' Mockingjay-pin. The one she wore during her Games, the one which started all of this. The one which made a peaceful Panem possible. It was a piece of history. "Here, I thought you could use it."

Effie looked at the pin and smiled. "Thank you." She hugged Katniss and whispered into Katniss' ear, "Take care of them. They need you. The girls especially, but Peeta and Haymitch too. You're me now. You're the mother of the family."

"Effie…" Katniss sighed.

"It's a lot to ask, I know. But I believe in you, Katniss. I need to know that you have my back."

Katniss took her time answering. It made Effie nervous. She wouldn't let go off Katniss until she told her she would do everything she asked her for. They all had to do their part for this to work out. Effie hugged her tighter and eventually Katniss sighed. She said, "I do."

Effie smiled. She was relieved. "Thank you." There was only little left to say, only five more words, "I love you, my girl."

* * *

Finally, they were on their way to where the Reaping was ought to take place. Effie reached for Haymitch's hand while walking and held on to it tightly. Haymitch guided them through the town, while Peeta and Katniss, as well hand in hand, were following them close behind.

They reached the entrance area for the possible tributes. It looked similar to the registrations of the original Hunger Games. There were also friends and family gathered in front of it, saying goodbye, watching as their lives might be changed permanently.

Peeta, Katniss, Haymitch, and Effie just stood there, not moving, not saying anything. The situation hovered heavily over them.

Effie turned her back to the registration, looking at the people she loved. She didn't know what to say nor to do. She didn't know where to start, what to begin with, and who to hug first. She just kept looking at the people she called her family.

Her sight went blurry. She couldn't see the lines in Haymitch's face anymore. She couldn't tell where his nose started or his mouth ended. She couldn't see the surrounding people. She knew as soon as she blinked properly, she'd have a real tear running down her cheek.

Suddenly, Haymitch reached out for her arm to pull her into an embrace. He said, "No need to cry."

Effie closed her eyes. Her body fell limp against Haymitch's chest. His arms came strong around her shoulders and waist, keeping her upright. She was surrounded by the scent she had gotten used to over the years. It smelt like home, it felt like a safe place. His heartbeat worked like a clockwork, steady, no signs of excitement. She had no clue how he did that. Her heart would skip out of her chest any minute. It made her weak and speechless. She didn't bury her face in his chest like she'd normally do. On one hand because she was with the heels on about the size he was and on the other hand she didn't want to appear weak in front of the public watching her. She promised herself to take it with dignity. She had to. She wasn't sure if she could collect herself after breaking down and breaking apart from her loved ones.

Haymitch released her without saying a word and Effie turned towards the children, who had grown up to adults. Nevertheless, they looked small to her right now. Effie hugged Peeta first, whispered words of love and encouragement in his ear. She refreshed his memory about all the things they had discussed, all the things she asked him to do when she wasn't around anymore. It was a lot to ask, but she had to be sure he remembered them all.

After she let go off him, she gathered Katniss once again into her arms. She didn't mind repeating herself. The words couldn't be said often enough. These were her last words. They had to be remembered and considered.

When she broke away from Katniss, there was nothing left to say, so she flashed them all one last smile and turned around to leave for the registration. She didn't say goodbye or other words of farewell. The hugs were enough for now. They would do the ugly parting after the Reaping.

* * *

Haymitch watched what might become his biggest regret. If Effie died in these Games, he'd always regret voting for them in the first place. He'd be responsible for her death, for taking away his daughters' mother. His biggest regret was just around the corner and he couldn't watch it like this. He couldn't let it happen like this. The way she just turned and left couldn't be the last time they interacted before his biggest regret became reality.

"Eff. Effie!" Haymitch called out for her. She turned her head immediately. His voice had dragged over the small square. He walked towards her, she did the same, but the securities stopped her. "Miss Trinket, you have to take the registration."

"It's Abernathy." Effie corrected them.

"Miss Abernathy-" One of the securities argued back.

But Effie cut the security short again. "Mrs."

"Mrs. Abernathy, you have to go through with registration."

"Just one more moment, please. I won't cause any troubles afterwards."

Haymitch had finally reached them and barked at them, "That's my wife. Let go off her."

"Haymitch." She crashed into his arms.

He clung to her, not the other way around. He was not ready to let her go. She was his life. She deserved to know his biggest regret. He needed to tell her. He felt the need to tell her everything. Even the darkest secrets. Why didn't he tell her last night when he had the chance? Why didn't he tell her about his girl? He told Effie he loved her, but he couldn't tell her the name of the girl who he thought he once loved. He didn't know love back then, he knew that now. And the glimpse of love he might have felt for that girl had long faded. He wanted to tell her every single detail, but all he could manage to say was one word. "Eff."

However, Effie took over the conversation anyway, "This is not goodbye. Do you hear me? They will let us see our family after the Reaping. Do you remember that?"

All he could do was nod. Her hands were framing his face.

"And we'll find a way when the training's on. We know the Games, Haymitch. We managed to sneak out before." She forced him to look at her. "This is not goodbye." She insisted upon the words he had spoken the night before.

He felt them causing unease in him. He wanted to argue back, but Effie silenced him with a kiss. Not a chaste kiss, but a deep, desperate one. He held her close and steady in his arms, even when he noticed the securities pulling her back. He felt her hands letting go off his head and she brought them to his back, griping him as tightly as she could. She left him breathless with the kiss, both were catching their breaths as they leaned their foreheads together.

"Eff." Haymitch barked.

"I know," she said, but he even didn't know what he was about to say. How could she know? He didn't ask her, but kissed her again. Just as desperate as before. Just as deep. He didn't care that he was in public. It didn't feel like it. It was just them. No noise around them, no one demanding Effie to leave. It was only the sound of their kisses, their heartbeats, and their breaths.

They parted from the intense kiss and gave each other one last chaste peck which was suitable to display in public.

Haymitch knew he had to let her go now. There was nothing left to say here, but he didn't loosen his grip on her. Effie's grip didn't either. He watched her, she was just as beautiful as ever, dressed up in blue, make-up on, the hair in a ridiculous bun, the front strands loose. Her lashes so long they'd brush against any kind of glasses. He knew there were fake, but her eyes were more magnificent with them than usual.

She was ready and now it was his turn to be. Without any more words, she slipped out of his embrace and the securities dragged her where the new government commanded her to be. He watched it happen. Her eyes were bright, her chin up, a smile on. She knew how to play a role, he didn't. His face fell grim because this could turn into his biggest regret.

* * *

Effie made her way through the square where the Reaping was supposed to take place. Most of the other possible tributes were already there, standing in lines like the district kids used to at the Reaping. It felt oddly familiar, yet totally different. It was like a flash-back, a night-mare, which was not an accurate memory of the actual events. It looked similar, but not the same.

This was what Effie was feeling when she made her way across the square. She looked at the men on her right. She noticed the board shoulders, the muscular arms, and clenching teeth. One man stronger than the other. In some young faces Effie would see the fear of the unknown, but their faces were completely unknown to her. She recognised the eyes, the shape of a nose or the body-figure. It reminded her of people who she once knew in the Games. She couldn't name them, but in the end the young men standing there were not responsible for the Hunger Games and did nothing to deserve this.

However, every single child that was reaped before had nothing to do with it either. The new government was clever. It hurt the people once involved more when they took away their precious loved-ones. They would suffer all life with the knowledge of killing their own kids, grand-kids or nieces and nephews. If the people responsible died in these Games, they wouldn't suffer, they'd be redeemed. Death didn't seem as cruel as knowing that you are responsible for your own kid's death.

Effie kept looking through the young men's faces, knowing what the parents must be going through at the moment.

She laid eyes on the tallest men. He had strong biceps, board shoulders. His hair was so shiny, Effie wasn't sure whether it was real or a wig. When she looked into his stern gaze, she was surprised to recognise the person instantly. She hadn't seen him for years. His gaze softened when he recognized her too. "Effie, what miserable circumstances to meet again. You look lovely as always."

"Thank you, Traian. I have to admit you don't look so bad yourself." Effie forced herself to smile.

Traian returned her smile. "We made quite a pair before that Seneca Crane snatched you away."

"That was a long time ago. Are you still hung up on that?"

"A little, maybe. But it seems like I have no chance nowadays either." He reached for her left hand. "I have to say I'm disappointed you didn't reach out to me."

"How could I? After seeing you so cosy with that girl from Three in the interview you gave."

He smirked.

"But tell me, how much did you pay her for sitting with you like this?" Effie asked.

"Apparently not enough." They shared eye-contact, understanding each other. "So, we have a deal? You and me in the arena?"

"If we get reaped, we can talk about it." Effie tried to keep her options open.

"Come on, there's not many of us originals. We have to stick together. And with our history it doesn't seem out of the box." He kissed her fingers and lingered there a moment longer than Effie would a man normally allow, but with their given history and the situation she didn't bother with proper manners. Their short affair was long over, no one seemed to care about their relationship in the first place. Who cared about the escort from 12 and a junior game-maker, who denied their mingling all the time. When Traian finally detached his lips from her hand, he insisted, "For the sake of old times."

"I'm not into younger men anymore." Effie replied.

"Old, drunk ones, I know." Effie pursed her lips as Traian spoke. He sighed. "You can't be serious about that. Does he even come close to what I have to offer?"

Effie now blushed. "Darling, you have no idea." She paused and added. "I'll tell you all about it at our first night watch."

"It's a deal?"

Effie nodded.

"Seal it with a kiss." Traian demanded, a smile on his lips.

Effie leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek, far away from his mouth. "I don't want your girl to get furious with me."

"It was a pleasure." Traian finally let go off her hand and she was able to make her way to the spot where she was demanded to be. She let her eyes wander over the people standing there. She recognised a few. She saw Flavius, who wouldn't meet her gaze. Octavia had been right about him after all. She watched out for her and exchanged a brief look once she discovered her in the second row. Despite the smile that was forming on her lips she could tell that Octavia must be nervous, afraid of the outcome. She didn't find her peace with the situation in the end. Next to Octavia, Effie recognized Lucia who was one of the game-makers at Katniss and Peeta's Games.

Effie let her gaze wander more and noticed a very prominent face between the other women. A young woman who was well known under Snow's reign. Not least because she was a Snow herself. It was little Celestia Snow, the president's granddaughter, who was paraded around the country by her grandfather. Her face was always seen on television. She was the president's pride and joy.

While the other young girls who had to attend the Games looked mostly fearful, nervous, sad, desperate, pained or teary, Celestia didn't fall into any of these categories. She didn't move either. She was determined, she didn't bother looking next to her to Atala, who was one of the trainer at Katniss and Peeta's Games.

A cold shiver ran over Effie's back. She didn't recognise the sweet girl anymore she knew from the TV. Celestia was a grown woman, who was forced to suffer because she was born into the wrong family.

The girl Effie finally found a spot to stand in the last row was born into the wrong family as well. Her shoulders were raised towards her ears; the earrings were touching them. It made her look tinier than she was. The blond hair fell neatly down in a braid in her back. The front curls were framing her face.

The blush on her cheeks was not properly blended in with her skin. You could see thick blocks of colour. The girl's eyes darted from the ground to the stage back and forth, her hands were brought together, kneading her fingers nervously. Effie felt sorry for her the second she laid eyes on her. The girl reminded her of all the kids she used to reap. She felt obligated to distract her, making the waiting game a little easier for her. "Are you alright, my dear?" Effie asked softly. It would not only make the girl more comfortable, but the talking would Effie calm down too. It took away her attention to what might be when she could fuss over someone instead.

The girl looked up to meet Effie's gaze and Effie gasped when she recognised the eyes.

"You're one of Caesar Flickerman's children, aren't you?" The girl nodded. "Which one? The oldest?" Effie couldn't remember all his kids' names anymore. Caesar Flickerman had an extensive family with five kids.

"No, I'm not his oldest. I'm his youngest."

"His youngest? But … Are you even old enough?" Effie tried to remember how old Caesar's kids were. "You were so little playing backstage when your father was hosting."

"You're right."

"So, you have just turned 18?"

"I will, next week."

"You are 17?"

Caesar Flickerman's daughter nodded again. She was certainly not a woman yet, but still a girl.

"You were five when Peeta and Katniss won their Games? That's- … How is that even possible? This isn't right."

"I know." She teared up. "Dad was out of his mind when he found out about it. He begged to go in himself. He didn't care about being too old. My brother who was supposed to get is only 27 himself. He just got married; his wife is expecting. It's not right to take him away from his family. Dad fought so hard to protect him, to get him out of it. It took weeks of persuasion to make the government bend the rules, to bend the rules that Dad could go in. But then they found out when my birthday was. So, they did bend the rules but not in my father's favour. They let my brother off the hook and took me instead. I'll turn 18 on the first day of the Games."

"When did you find out?"

"Last week."

"There was no time for training? To say good-bye properly? To do things you always wanted to do?"

"No, no one expected me to be the one to go in. Always either my brother or my father, never me, or any of my other siblings."

"Oh, dear." Effie brought an arm around her shoulders. "We'll stick together, OK? I know a thing or two about the Games. We're better off in a group. I have some allies aligned already."

"It's that easy to make allies? Dad said-"

"These Games are different."

* * *

Effie was only partly right. These Games were different, but in the end they were held in a well-known practice from the past. There were two separate glass bowls with the names of the female and male tributes. There was a representative of the government on stage who picked the names from the glass balls. The woman was supposed to be the escort who will send out the death sentence to 23 people. Her random handpick would determine the future of 24 people, making 23 dead and one the winner of the last ever held Hunger Games.

As an entry, a film was shown and the events of the rebellion were recapped. The reasons why these Games had to be held were explained. The government tried to justify their decisions with this. It felt like propaganda, just like the one Snow would show before a Reaping, the one Effie would memorise and know by heart. It felt like one of these propos which were produced during the rebellion, but it had a much better quality. It wore Cressida's handwriting indeed. It was without a doubt aesthetic and effective.

Way too fast, the representative of the government turned to fish out the first name of a female tribute. Effie held her breath. Her hands were sweaty. She couldn't imagine going through this horror twelve times. Feeling the relief of not getting picked for a second. Then, she'd have to remember instantly that she'd have to go through this again and she'd be kept in suspense all over again.

The government representative took turns. One female name and afterwards a male name. One by one was reaped. There were no dramatic pauses when a big name was asked on stage. The tributes did what they were forced to do. They embraced their destiny and went up to stage.

And as one by one was reaped, Effie as well embraced her destiny. The waiting was not stressing her out as much as she had expected. She didn't get more nervous when the representative of the government turned to the glass ball with the female names to pick another name. It was a niece of a stylist.

One by one was reaped, and yet Effie was OK watching it. She knew the procedure well enough. She knew what was going to happen to her. She knew what it meant to be reaped. She didn't gasp when people she knew had to go up to stage because she knew she would follow them soon.

One by one original member of the Games environment went up stage. Lucia, one of the trainers of Katniss and Peeta's Games, was reaped.

One by one, there were no pauses to digest this. Traian was reaped. He went upstage with his head held high and not giving a damn about people gasping and admiring him.

One by one was reaped. Atala who should know the Games tricks better than anyone, but her age would make it difficult for her to keep up with the young ones.

One by one was picked. Flavius who still looked disappointed and betrayed by the new government.

One by one had to go upstage. Octavia with her extravagant hair-style.

One by one followed. Tax who was in charge of the archery stand at the third Quart Quell training. He knew how to use a bow and arrow.

One by one was thrown into these last Hunger Games. Celestia Snow who was destined to be in these Games. She would be the number one target in these Games. The one the audience would want to be dead.

They were all reaped. Every single one. One by one. Until it was only one female and one male tribute left. Effie was keeping her nerves under control. She knew what has going to happen. It was no secret. She watched the 22 people going up the stage. They made it look easy. Effie could do the same, she would do the same as soon as the representative of the government would call out her name. She would go upstage and face the reality she was preparing for the last two months. She was ready to do so.

Effie watched as the government representative picked the last name for the twelfth female tribute for the very last Hunger Games in history. She walked to the microphone in the centre of the stage. Slowly, the representative unfolded the paper and smiled when she read the name. With a high-pitched voice she announced the reaping of _Junia Flickerman_.

For the first time, for the first time of the mention of 23 names, Effie gasped. The little girl next to her got reaped. She got reaped and not herself. Effie was not in the Games, even though she had been preparing for the last nine weeks. She was not in the Games like she was destined to be. She was destined to stand with Octavia, with Traian. Her allies were relying on her and she was not there. She shook her head in disbelief and looked over her shoulder to see the reactions on Haymitch, Peeta and Katniss' faces.

She studied Haymitch. He looked relieved. He _was_ probably relieved. Effie could understand why he'd feel this way, but she couldn't feel it herself. Not once did a thought of relief cross her mind. She wasn't relieved, she was angry. She was set to do something. Right now, right in this minute, as little Junia Flickerman was dragged up to this stage. Junia being there wasn't right.

Effie couldn't save them all, she was aware of that, but she could save her. She had to do it. She had to do it for all the other kids she wasn't able to save in the past. There was no other kid dying on her watch. She knew that Junia was dead the second she entered the arena. She wouldn't last.

Effie absentmindedly touched her wedding band, twisted it around her finger. She remembered the promise she had given to Haymitch. Doing what she was about to do didn't break it. The words were echoing through her head. _Stay alive, sweetheart._

She would. Doing what she would be doing didn't mean she would die. It was no suicide. She had to do it. She had to.

Memories of a Reaping in District 12 were flashing through her mind. The crowd in shock as a very little 12 year-old was chosen. Shock over her friends' faces. The tiny steps she took towards the stage, just like the tiny steps Junia had taken. The blond hair was braided just like Junia's. An uncomfortable silence hovered over a great amount of the people. No one was cheerful. The gasps spread all over the place and then one single person said something.

It felt oddly familiar and Effie didn't know yet that history was about to repeat itself.

Her lips moved slightly, twitching, she didn't notice at first. Her mouth demanded that she spoke up to this injustice. She pursed her lips, but then air escaped her lungs, so softly, so weak, so full of surprise. Not audible for anyone. Voiceless. Breathless. She said the word again. That word, which expressed disagreement so well. "No."

She put a strand of hair behind her ear, preparing and prepping herself for the action, which had to follow. Again, that memory of the Reaping flashed through her thoughts. The shocked faces. The rigidity induced by shock. She felt it in her bones. The helplessness. The need to say something, to make it pass, to un-shock the audience. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, but all she remembered was the struggle, the struggle to be heard. It was hard to fight for the right cause. Raise your voice. Speak up. She should raise her voice like Katniss. Yell. Scream for this to end. "No."

The person next to her turned her head. She heard it. There was no way back now. There was no way Effie would look in the back again. Back where had been relief across the people's faces. She didn't share this feeling. Instead, she wanted to do something. She had to. She knew she had to. She understood.

The people in the back would understand sometime too. They had been in this situation. She'd do the right thing. The girls would understand. Doing this didn't mean she didn't love them. Doing this was _right_.

"I-" She paused, clearing her throat, her thoughts were already cleared. She never felt saner in her life than in this moment. "I volunteer."

The woman next to her looked at her, puzzled, confused. She did hear it right though.

"I volunteer." Effie repeated the words and now the women in front of her turned around. There was no withdrawing it. It was out there. It was said and now actions had to follow the words.

Effie overcame strength she didn't know she had in herself. She raised her chin, she straightened her shoulders. She passed through the row to the middle aisle. Taking each step with force and determination. The securities noticed her and were approaching her, but she didn't care. She had to say it. All she could focus on was this one task, these four words, which would change the Games. The four words, which would change the fate of one innocent girl and her own. She had tunnel vision. She'd fight anything, she was determined. She saw Katniss stepping forward, raging. She saw the little blond girl on the stage where she didn't belong. It was her spot.

"I volunteer as tribute!"

She was the centre of attention now. Every pair of eyes and every single camera darted towards her. A silence lingered, just like when Katniss Everdeen had volunteered. There had not been a volunteer in the Capitol, just like in District 12.

Effie was standing tall. The feet pressing into the ground, no lady-like weak footing. She had indeed volunteered as a tribute like Katniss Everdeen.

* * *

That's what I call a proper cliffhanger. :D Did you like it? Was it worth the wait?

I see the end for this story clearly in front of me. We'll get to it in the new year. Btw, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays. This is my way of wishing you all the best.


	14. The Beginning Of The End

**Fourteenth Chapter: The Beginning of the End**

She was Katniss Everdeen. Determined. Not re-thinking this. She was saving this girl with blond, braided hair just like Prim. With hair like Daphne. With a gentleness like Poppy. These three girls were not meant to be in the games, and she would save Junia Flickerman. She had indeed volunteered to save that girl, who did not belong to this game. None of these kids did. She was one of the people responsible, she had to be in the Games. She was Effie Trinket, now Abernathy, who would go into the last ever Hunger Games.

Effie looked at the person on the podium. The government representative still had a smile on the face, but it looked numbed. The representative was bound to react and she had to de-escalate the situation. The grey outfit didn't catch the eye as well as the outfits Effie used to wear.

They were in reversed roles now. Effie hated the person on stage, and therefore she hated her former self. She belonged to be up on the stage with all the other tributes. Every other person was an insult. Effie embodied the Games. Games without her were no real games.

Then, suddenly, everything happened so fast, without much room to protest. First, Effie heard Katniss yelling, screaming for her to think rationally, letting out her disbelief. Then, the securities approached her, holding on to her arms. She fought back, tried to get to the stage where volunteers belonged. Then, the government representative's calm voice echoed over the place.

"I'm afraid, we don't allow volunteering." A smug smile was across her face. She, obviously, enjoyed turning Effie down and crashing every hope for Junia Flickerman.

Effie was about to fight back, argue back, but the securities gripped her so hard that talking with a decent voice was not possible. They pushed her back into the row of people where she came from. Effie disappeared into the crowd again, her moment to shine was over, her moment to make a difference was gone.

Instead, she held her arms tightly around her torso. She could already feel the bruises of the rough treatment of the securities. She was humiliated. She had tried and failed in public, with all Panem watching. Within seconds, her plan was destroyed. Within seconds, Junia Flickerman was dead for good.

The last male tribute was announced, but Effie had lost all interest in that. She didn't care who of her former colleagues or their kids had to be in these dreadful Games. All she could think of was how to get through this reaping and not fall apart in front of all Panem.

The following words of closure took an eternity to be said, at least to Effie it felt like an eternity. All she wanted was this Reaping to be over, so she could finally leave this square. She had embarrassed herself in front of all Panem and she wanted to hide. She wanted to cry about Junia Flickerman's destiny, which was supposed to be her destiny.

On the stage, the 24 tributes for the final Hunger Games were standing, some of them tall, some of them looking small. Traian looked the most determined, Octavia was still puzzled, and Junia Flickerman looked so lost up there. Effie couldn't look at them, she was supposed to stand up with them there. She looked to the ground, waiting for the Reaping to be final over. It was the last ever Reaping Panem would ever witness. Just a few more minutes and this nightmare would be over.

Effie took breath after breath, trying to get her concentration on something else but the vast injustice happening right on stage there, all Panem watching and longing for the revenge. They took out their anger on the wrong people, some of the young men and women were innocent, and not responsible. Effie was guilty a little and she had tried making it up by saving one innocent, but she had failed. She had failed in front of national TV, it was even worse than Haymitch trying to hug her at the 74th Reaping.

Haymitch. The kids. The girls. Her girls. Daphne. Poppy. A wash of realisation hit her. She had forgotten about her family for a moment. She had pushed away any thoughts about them, but now she remembered it clearly. She wanted nothing more than to leave, leave this nightmare behind her, so she could finally get to the girls she loved so much, the girls she already had to leave behind. There was nothing good in the world any more than these two girls waiting for her back in Twelve. And the girls weren't even aware of how close they were to lose their mother. Effie sighed, but she did not feel the weight falling off her shoulders. The weight was still there; she was still in the Reaping, hearing the words the representative of the government spoke.

Eventually, music was played and the audience was allowed to leave. Effie turned fast on her heels, sprinting to towards the end of the restricted area for the possible tributes. She didn't watch the 24 walking-dead tributes heading off stage. She couldn't lay her eyes on the people she used to be close to or work with maybe for the last time. This was not how it was supposed to be.

She ran as fast as her high heels allowed her. She had lived in those shoes for years, so she was a master in them and the running training with Katniss paid off and was, after all, useful for something. She jumped over the barrier, to where Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch were standing. She didn't care how she looked like. All she wanted was to be gone from this place right in this second, the quicker, the better, no matter what. She was sure she'd never revisit this site again.

As soon as she had jumped over the barrier, Katniss threw herself at her, who gave her the most bone crashing hug she had ever been given. Effie could hardly breathe, she was overwhelmed by Katniss' action and only reluctantly gave in to the hug. A shiver ran down her spine, when Katniss whispered into her ear, her voice full of emotion, "I thought I lost you."

At this words, Effie closed her eyes and finally gave in to the hug properly, drawing Katniss closer, giving her the comfort the girl clearly needed. The Reaping was a trigger for Katniss, taking her back to the time when she lost her little sister. Effie had to be there for her because she needed the comfort. It was not often Katniss was this openly vulnerable.

Eventually, Effie pushed Katniss away a little, but the girl still held on to her, making sure Effie would stay with her and not be taking behind to stage to be part of the last Hunger Games.

"I want to go. I want to leave here. I want to see my girls." Effie said hastily, not taking pauses between the sentences. She brought a strand of her hair behind her ear, which was loosened from the running and jumping over the barrier.

Peeta nodded with a smile across his face, and placed an arm around her shoulders, protecting her from the crowd leaving around them as well. "Yes, we will. We'll get the next train to Twelve. We'll just get our luggage from the hotel and then we leave, OK?"

Effie nodded and watched Peeta let go of her, taking off to have the lead back to the hotel where they were staying. Katniss tightened her grasp around Effie's arm, dragging her along with her. Effie had to comply with it.

As they walked off, Effie turned her head over her shoulder, watching Haymitch, who hadn't said a word. He avoided looking into her eyes. His face was grim and not filled with joy. He seemed not happy that she was safe, and that hurt Effie. There was no hug or a smile or a simple word that would show Effie he was glad she was not in the arena.

Effie thought he would say or do something when they were in private. Haymitch was never good with a public display of his feelings. The good-bye scene an hour ago was the great exception and maybe Effie was a fool to believe that he would be like this when she would return safely from the Reaping.

* * *

As soon as they reached the hotel, they went to their respective rooms, but Katniss was hesitant to let go off Effie. She was worried if she let go off Effie, she might never come back, but Effie assured her everything was all right and in just ten minutes they'd be reunited.

Peeta somehow managed to make Katniss release Effie from her grasp. Effie caught Katniss looking over her shoulder while Peeta guided her to their room. She herself turned around with a deep breath, taking grand strides to catch up with Haymitch, who was already walking down the hallway to their room.

They didn't speak as they entered the room and looked for their belongings. They had packed most of it in the morning and Effie took the opportunity to freshen up a little in the bathroom. A long journey was ahead of them and the stress of the Reaping was still sticking on her all over. At least a little wash should be in her cards for now. She already longed for a proper shower, she would only get after a one and half day train ride to Twelve.

She waited for Haymitch to join her at the door, who hadn't packed his belongings in the morning. He had not counted on leaving today. Effie had not either. He settled his luggage next to hers and looked up and down her body, grunting as he did. Effie thought he would finally say something to her, but he didn't, so she asked, "Can we go now?"

"Just a moment." He took one of the smaller bags and dragged it back to the room. She heard a loud noise coming from the room and she didn't have to look to know that he was rearranging the furniture in the room just like she had done days ago. But instead of hiding the alcohol like she had done, he looked for it.

Effie closed her eyes to keep up a straight face, to not be hurt by his behaviour. She patiently waited for him to come back, and be finished with whatever he did in the room. Either he was placing the bottles back to the mini-bar or he drank them. Effie wasn't sure and she didn't want to know.

When he came back to her, the bag in the hand, looking a little heavier than before, she met his eyes for the first time since the Reaping. She didn't arch an eyebrow, purse her lips or frown. She just looked at him expectantly. But he didn't speak the words she thought he'd say. "Let's get out of here."

She nodded and opened the door behind her to get away from this place. Away. Away from this place she once used to call home. It had nothing comforting to offer to her anymore.

All she wanted was to leave the city she once used to call home. It didn't feel like home anymore. The streets weren't welcoming her anymore, not giving her a feeling of comfort. The people seemed foreign and, suddenly, the more people surrounded her, the more unease she felt. She tried keeping a low profile, but she was still wearing the same blue outfit from the Reaping. The luggage and the big sunglasses she wore to hide her face weren't helping from keeping her unseen. Soon one of the photographers, who was present at the Reaping recognised her and was chasing her, Haymitch, Peeta, and Katniss. The paparazzi called out for her, calling her name, "Miss Trinket, Miss Trinket!"

She tried not to listen to the calls because she wanted nothing to do with this nonsense anymore. She wanted to forget about it, never deal with it again. But soon another reporter was following her, and some other noisy people. The reporters and photographers kept asking for her, kept calling her name, "Miss Trinket! Miss, Trinket, can you please give us your thoughts on the Reaping?"

She knew they wouldn't stop bothering her and calling her name until she gave them what they wanted. She stopped in her steps, stepping closer the reporters. Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch watched with wary, not sure what Effie had in mind. She raised her voice, "OK, I'll give you one statement and then you'll stop following us. Deal?"

The reporters took their places around her, making space on the narrow sidewalk. Effie gave them all time to adjust to get the right angle, a good view, a few microphones, and Dictaphones were held in her direction. Everyone wanted their share of the story they could build out of this.

Effie cleared her throat and held her head high as she spoke, "These Games and what they stand for, are not right. It's not good for the Panem I grew to be proud of in the last 10 years. We grew together as a nation, overcoming the cruelness of Snow's regime and the destruction the rebellion had brought along. We rose as a nation, but these last Hunger Games will tear us apart. It's Capitol versus Districts again and that's not healthy for a country. There are hate and thoughts of revenge going on again, and this is not the way it was supposed to be in a new Panem, a peaceful Panem. Killing people. Some of them, like Junia Flickerman, did nothing to deserve this. Everyone, who is watching this atrocity on television, is no better than any Capitol under Snow's regime. Everyone, who's supporting is a fool, an idiot and doesn't deserve my respect. This is intolerable."

Effie ended her statement. She posed for a few more photos, a stern look on her face. She didn't enjoy the spotlight so much anymore and therefore she didn't pose they way she used to, even though she was wearing a beautiful outfit.

After a few minutes she turned around and wanted to leave, but the reporters kept calling her name. "Effie Trinket, please, another question. Miss Trinket, please. Miss Trinket!"

The reporters were after all greedy and Effie didn't react to any of their calls anymore. She didn't bother correcting one of them, they were calling the wrong name, she was no longer Effie Trinket, but none of them seemed to understand that. Even Haymitch, who followed behind Katniss, Peeta and Effie noticed that she wouldn't correct the name confusion. His face fell even grimmer.

* * *

In the train, they finally had time to talk about things and Peeta first asked, "Effie, I thought cursing on TV is not proper?"

They started with a light topic, which Effie dismissively waved off. Sometimes cursing, even when it was only the use of the word 'idiot' had to be done.

Katniss moved the talk to the Reaping, asking with emphasis. It sounded full of reproach, almost like she questioned Effie's behaviour, "Who was that man you talked to?"

"His name is Traian," Effie answered, looking to Katniss, who sat next to her.

"How well do you know him?" Katniss asked harshly.

"Well enough to let him kiss her." Peeta interfered, raising an eyebrow. He tried to defuse the tension.

"Peeta, you should know that a kiss means nothing in the Capitol," Effie replied softly, bringing his eyes to him. Peeta sat across from her. Both, Peeta and Katniss, didn't want to stay too far away from Effie.

"So, were you friends?" Katniss dug deeper, but Effie kept responding vaguely, "Sort of."

"What did you talk about?"

Another question Effie had to answer, she answered truthfully. There was no point in hiding her conversation with Traian. "He wanted to be my ally."

"What?" Katniss blurted out. She couldn't believe what she was hearing out of Effie's mouth.

Even Peeta could not believe Effie. He had to clarify, "That slime?"

Effie pursed her lips at the kids' reaction and bothered with not answer them to their rude comments. Katniss recovered quickly anyway, saying, "He could have killed you in a second. Did you even look at him?"

"I did." Effie said, and added, "He was in shape."

"No, he had muscles like the Careers used to have. He looked like a killing machine. He would have killed you in a heartbeat. He is not made to have allies." Katniss explained.

"You don't know if he'd done that," Effie argued back. She could not handle Katniss being judgmental of people she had only seen once. Effie had known Traian for years, she knew him better than Katniss.

"Do you?" Katniss asked, her voice was filled with concern, "Did you trust him?"

"I…" Effie paused. She had not seen Traian in forever. Maybe he had changed and maybe they had not been truthful with each other after all. She answered honestly, "I am not sure. I don't know."

"I can't believe this!" Katniss hissed.

"It doesn't matter, Katniss. Effie's safe. We don't need to worry about the right or wrong allies." Peeta reminded her, leaning forward, so he could reach for Katniss' hand.

"I-" It was Katniss, who hesitated. It took her a few moments to remind herself that Effie was indeed safe and that the Reaping was over. "I know. … Mark my words though, he will win this. He has it. The whole package. He's cut out to be a victor."

Effie let the words sink in for a moment and came to a different conclusion. She said, "I bet against that."

"Who?" Katniss inquired.

After another moment and thinking back and forth, Effie said, "Celestia Snow."

Katniss reply came immediately and very harsh, "No."

"It's a bet, Katniss. You don't have to agree with me. We wouldn't have a bet if we would agree in the first place."

Katniss was uneasy now. She scoffed. "Fine. But one more question."

"Yes?" Effie looked at her expectantly.

"Why her?"

Effie was prepared to answer that question. She had made up her mind about Celestia the minute she laid eyes on her. She was determined, and she would make a good story.

However, she took too long to answer, so Katniss made clearer what she wanted to know. "Why did you volunteer for her?"

That was whole other issue, but Effie had an answer for that as well. "She was just a girl, Katniss. A girl just like Prim. And just like her, she was born into the wrong family. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time. That's what happened to her."

Katniss was choking up, the tears filled her eyes. She needed some space for herself, some time to compose herself again. She quickly left the compartment, Effie couldn't reach for her hand fast enough. Peeta followed Katniss right away and Effie understood that he did so.

Haymitch and Effie were alone in the train's compartment and yet they chose to stay silent. Haymitch had listened to all of what Katniss, Peeta, and Effie had discussed, but not once did he bother to participate in the conversation. Maybe, he finally learned to remain silent when he had nothing good to say.

"He'd be an OK ally." Haymitch suddenly said, leaning against the wall. He was sitting in the seat furthest away from Effie. His feet were unlike on their ride to the Capitol not dropped on the seat across from him.

Effie understood that he was talking about Traian. She nodded and whispered, "No winner though."

"There is no winner, only a survivor." He grunted.

At these words, Effie sat up a little straighter, folding her hands in her lap. She said, "I suppose some things don't change."

Haymitch arched an eyebrow, looking at Effie, she returned the look. For the first time since the reaping they locked eyes, but Effie could not hold it too long. She broke the intense eye contact with saying, "And others…"

She let the rest of the sentence be up in the air and looked out of the window. She could see his reflection in the glass. By the way his jaw moved, Effie knew he was clenching his teeth. Haymitch got up and left the train compartment without saying where he was heading off. Effie was sure it was not the toilet and there weren't many other places in a train where he could go. She was certain he was heading for the restaurant car, but it wouldn't be a snack he longed for.

* * *

They arrived in Twelve very late in the evening, making the travel almost two nights long; Sae was there to meet them with the girls at the train station. Peeta had called her from the train to let her know they were on their way.

Peeta and Katniss left the train first and were greeted with cheers and hugs from the girls. Effie's heart grew fonder when she heard their high voices. She was about to smile when she met Haymitch's gaze, which was still grim. Effie thought he would relax more with every meter they got closer to Twelve and away from the Capitol, but he didn't. She wasn't as tense anymore, but exchanging one look with Haymitch took her breath away.

She let him exit the train first, leaving her with her suitcase alone. He wouldn't help her, but the girls had occupied his arms anyhow. She heard the joyful voices, greeting him with loud screams of "Dad" and "Daddy".

But soon after, she heard Daphne ask, "Where's Mum?"

Poppy following her sister's lead soon, "Yes, where is Mummy?"

Haymitch didn't have to answer because Effie had left the train by now. She had just enough time to settle down the suitcase next to her and lean slightly down, when Poppy and Daphne crashed against her, throwing her arms around her neck. She picked both of them from the ground. The girls had wrapped their legs around her torso, holding on to their mother tighter.

Effie wouldn't let go off her girls, never again. She was with them forever now, no Games would ever take her away from them. As long as she had the girls she was good.

She did not let go off Daphne or Poppy, she insisted upon carrying them home. It was past their bedtime anyway and their eyes closed a little more with every step they headed home. At some point, they parted from Sea and said their thanks for looking after Daphne and Poppy.

Effie enjoyed having her girls close, listening to their stories even though some of it got lost it a yawn every now and then. Their breaths against Effie's neck made a shiver run down her spine, but it was the best feeling the world. It made her realise that she was still alive and not destined to participate in Games, in which she would die.

As soon as they arrived home, Effie brought the girls to their rooms and helped them getting ready for bed. "It's past your bedtime. Quite a lot past your bedtime, so hush now into bed, my dears."

It took Effie quite some time to get the girls to sleep even though, Effie could tell they were tired, but Daphne and Poppy were excited to have their parents back after such a long parting. Eventually, the girls let Effie go to the bedroom, where Haymitch waited for her. The suitcases were placed on the dresser.

"We need to talk," Haymitch said without any hint of emotion in his voice.

In exchange, Effie nodded and drew her hands over her skirt. She took a fresh nightgown out of the dresser and left for the bathroom to get ready for bed first. She changed into the nightgown and went through with her nightly routine. When she came back to the room and noticed the door to the hallway was still ajar. She thought it would be best to close it when the talk Haymitch insisted upon having turned louder than expected. She didn't want to wake the girls.

However, her worries were unfounded because the girls were still awake. Daphne looked around the corner carefully, peeking into the room. "Mum, can we sleep with you tonight?"

"We?" Effie echoed, looking at her daughter with a stern look. She placed an arm on her hip. Poppy's strawberry haired head popped up warily behind her sister. She tried to hide behind her. "Please?" Poppy added with an unsure smile, trying to get a look at her father, who she was sure to persuade.

"I-" Effie hesitated, looking over her shoulder to Haymitch, not sure what she should tell the girls.

"Please, Mum, we'll behave, right, Poppy?" Daphne nudged her sister in the side, who nodded with enthusiasm. "It's just you've been gone all week and we- … we missed you."

Effie couldn't deny her daughters a wish when saying that. She motioned with her arm to the bed, inviting them in. She smoothed over the girls' heads as they ran past her to jump on the bed.

Haymitch had an unpleased look on the face, but Effie couldn't tell the difference to the grim look he had on his face before. She supposed the talk could wait another day. Besides, with the girls there, sleeping in the same bed wouldn't be as uncomfortable. The girls could act as their buffer.

Poppy was already snuggling against her father's side, nudging his arm to make him place it around her. Daphne lay next to Poppy, waiting for her mother to come to bed. Effie closed the door like she had intended to do, and went to the windows to close the curtains.

She saw the light in Katniss and Peeta's house was still on. Katniss was probably watching the opening ceremony. The presenting of the Tributes, while Peeta would seal himself off from the last Hunger Games. He was scared it could trigger something they all weren't ready to face. Instead, Peeta waited patiently for Katniss, who had her own way of coping with the Games. She watched the Games for her own mental health. Effie supposed they all had developed their own coping mechanism for these Games.

A small smile came across her lips when she looked at the two girls, who waited for her in bed. The love she could give those to kids was her way of coping, while Haymitch's way was well known by all Panem. When he fell down the stage at the 74th reaping it was clear to anyone that he was nothing but a drunk.

Effie could smell the alcohol. She had developed a sensitive nose for it. She debated with herself if she should throw him out of the room because she didn't want him near the girls when he was drunk. He had been sober for almost six years now. He had thrown his sobriety out of the window, even though he knew what her opinion on that matter was. She had sworn to him that she would never let him near the girls if he was drunk.

However, Poppy was comfortably snuggled against his side, after not seeing him for a week. Effie couldn't afford to cause drama now with sending Haymitch away. She had to trust him, even though he made it hard for her. Drinking again made it hard for her to trust him. She didn't recognise him anymore. She wasn't sure what was going on in his head. He had shown her the cold shoulder ever since she returned from the reaping. She had expected some kind of reaction, but all she got was a grim face expression, showing off that he was not pleased with the outcome. She didn't let her thoughts take her to a world, in which Haymtich wanted her to be dead.

She pushed all ugly thoughts aside and settled into bed. The girls were already yawning, the late hour caught up with them, but still, they were keeping up with chit-chat and after all the drama in the last weeks and especially the last days, Effie could use some easy chit-chat with her girls.

* * *

 _Effie's safe! Are you relieved? I told you I wouldn't crown Effie the victor and here we are, she's not even in the Games. I couldn't take Daphne and Poppy's mother away. Never, that would be cruel._

 _However, this is not the end, as you may have noticed. We still have two chapters ahead of us, which I already have outlined. See you, hopefully, soon. For now, please let me know what you think. xxx_


	15. Betrayal

**Fifteenth Chapter: Betrayal**

When Effie awoke in the morning, in the bed she thought she would never spend a night in again, in a house she thought she would never step in again, besides the girls she thought she would never see again, she felt overwhelmed. The situation was bizarre, hard to process, and yet it was her twisted reality. Only two days ago she had been in the middle of the Capitol, volunteering for the last ever Hunger Games, and now she was settled in bed with her two daughters and the man she thought she could call her husband.

Things between Haymitch and her were tense. There were things between them, which were still unspoken. Poppy and Daphne had interrupted the necessary talk Haymitch and she had to share. The last days and its events needed to be discussed. They needed badly to be discussed. These unspoken words made it hard for Effie to sleep well at night, even though she was in her bed, in her house, with her daughters. All of that didn't change the fact that Haymitch's distance and his behaviour bothered her and it felt odd sleeping in the same bed with him when there were still things unsaid between them. That's why Poppy acted as a shield between them, there was no need to touch each other, no unintended touching or bumping a knee or elbow against the other.

She was faced with a similar problem when she wanted to get out of bed without waking someone. She was sandwiched between her daughters and getting out of bed seemed impossible without waking one of them with her movements. She managed nevertheless, planting a kiss on Daphne's forehead after she had climbed over her. The warmth of the duvet made it easy for Daphne to stay in her dreams. Effie watched her two daughters for a moment, making sure they were real; that this was real.

Reality hit her hard when thinking of the latest events, of the people, who would have to face a training for Games, which made her sick in the stomach all over again. If something upset her, she would feel sick, almost like throwing up. These Games were sick after all.

She tried to wrap her head around all of it by getting ready, brushing her teeth, washing her face, changing into some clothes. She didn't know why she changed into some sports clothes. It was a habit she had picked up in the last weeks in preparation. A run in the morning was part of that and she remembered how good it felt in the end. Running through the woods helped her getting her thoughts in order. Without thinking twice, she put on some running shoes and left the house for a run.

When she came home later, soaked with sweat, she made a beeline to the bathroom, even though she heard the girl's voices from the kitchen, a teapot whistling, as Haymitch was preparing breakfast for them. She would join them after a shower, all freshened up and ready to face a normal life again.

It was fairly easy to fall back into old routines she mused as she found a cup of tea waiting for her on the kitchen table. She kissed the girls good morning, and even Haymitch managed to mumble something, which could be considered a greeting. She put a smile on her face, only partly to keep an act up and pretend everything was fine.

The girls kept her thoughts occupied, but when she reached for a bowl on the table filled with strawberries the events hit her again. The bowls were not the ones she had grown to love so much over the years. Haymitch had smashed all these bowls with the flowers on them the day the letter with her nomination as a possible tribute had arrived two months ago. It was the day he had first bought alcohol after being sober for so many years. He had not drunk any of it back then, but now she was sure he had done so.

Effie got drawn away from that thought again, when Daphne said, "So, Mum, is it time now for our present that you brought us from the Capitol?"

"Yeah!" Poppy chimed in. "You always bring us something."

Effie narrowed her eyes to her lap, smiling to herself. Her daughters' cheerful voices melted her heart. She was tempted to play dumb and pretend she had not brought them anything. She was tempted to play a trick on them. She was also tempted to call them out on their bad manners. They were taking presents for granted and usually, she would discipline them, especially Haymitch would watch out that Poppy and Daphne would not be raised like spoiled little kids like children in the Capitol often were raised.

However, Effie was not in the mood to do any of this, she simply replied, "We'll finish breakfast, and while you help your father clean up, I'll get them. Alright?"

The girls agreed with the proposition and ate their breakfast faster than usual, but Effie didn't mind. Even though she had been running, she was not hungry. Her stomach was still upset with the events in the Capitol. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to eat until all of this was over for good.

They were soon settled in the living room, Haymitch excusing himself, telling them he would go check on Katniss and Peeta across the street. Effie understood what he was really doing there. He wanted to watch the news, see for himself how the Games were taking place. He was not able to see any developments ever since before they went to the reaping. That was two days ago. A lot of things could happen in two days. Effie watched him slip out of the front door.

The girls did not sense anything odd, too eager to see their presents, coming closer and closer on the couch, almost sitting on Effie's lap, where she had placed the two little packages she had bought in the Capitol. Effie smiled at their behaviour, she had missed them dearly, they took a lot of her worries away. Without further ado, she gave them their promised present and within seconds they had opened the packages. Gasping and gushing replaced their giggles. Carefully, they trailed their fingers along the gold bracelets, admiring the beauty of them.

"Do you like them?" Effie asked; as she helped Poppy putting her bracelet on. The clasp was tiny and with only one free hand it was even for Daphne tricky to fasten the bracelet around her wrist.

Poppy nodded, her fringe falling out of place, bouncing up and down. Daphne was short of words too, still gazing at the gold of the jewellery. They never had something as expensive before. "It's-" Daphne's mouth remained open, gaping, eventually, she managed to add, "-beautiful."

"I'm glad," Effie replied, tucking a strand of hair behind Daphne's ear. At the short contact, Daphne finally took her gaze away from the bracelet, meeting her mother's gaze. Effie smiled at her and before Effie could see a smile spreading on Daphne's face too, Daphne had thrown her arms around Effie's neck, hugging her tightly. Effie brought her right arm around her, burying her hand in Daphne's blond hair, coiling a hand around her nape as good as she could. She could not concentrate long enough on her because soon Poppy threw herself at her from the other side. The girls crashed her, gasped their thanks into her ear, bringing a shiver down her spine.

Eventually, Daphne and Poppy had hugged her enough and looked at their new bracelets with admiration. While they did so, Effie explained to them, "Do you know why I brought you these?"

Both of the girls looked up and shook their heads.

"They are gold. Like-" Effie's voice broke for a moment. She thought of the golden wig she no longer possessed. "Like my wedding ring."

She took Poppy's hand in her left hand, making the gesture clear. Poppy interjected, "Or Daddy's ring, right?"

"Exactly." Effie smiled, thinking of the bracelet Finnick had worn to the Quell and after his death, Haymitch could not wear it anymore. "Or Peeta's locket. You know that one. And you know the golden pin Katniss wears on special occasions?"

"The one with the Mockingjay?" Daphne asked.

"Yes, that one," Effie said. "I brought you these, so all of us will have something to remember they are part of a family. We belong together. The six of us. These golden pieces of jewellery make us a team. As long as we all have them, we're fine."

"Cool," Daphne whispered, as she turned the bracelet around her wrist.

"You have to be careful with them," Effie warned them. "Only wear them on special occasions and not when you climb a tree or something. I'm speaking to you, Daphne."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, still distracted, but eventually, she met her mother's gaze again. "I really missed you, Mom."

"Really? Even with all my fussing and my warnings." Effie knew her daughter better than that.

"Kind of." Daphne wrinkled her nose.

"I missed you more!" Poppy said, standing up on the couch, leaning against Effie's side, hugging her whole head, which made Effie chuckle for a moment, but then asking her to be careful with her hair.

"I bet you had a lot of fun at Sae's. Aren't you a little sad we cut your time short with her?" Effie asked, bringing an around Poppy again, to make sure she would not crash her again.

"Why are you back so early?" Daphne countered back. She was right to do so. If Effie would have been reaped, Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch, and she would not have come back for at least two or three weeks, probably longer. The girls were prepared for that long time. Their confusion was no surprise and was to be expected.

"Oh, my dear, we could finish what we had to do in the Capitol faster than expected. And we didn't want to stay there any longer than strictly necessary. We wanted to be with you two again." Effie's answer was, in the end, sincere, and not made up. She didn't want to stay any longer in the Capitol. She was not reaped, there was nothing to do for her.

"What did you go there anyway?" Poppy asked, still having her arm around Effie's shoulders.

"We told you we had to attend an event the government requested us to be. It was a Memorial event, just like the ones we celebrate in Twelve in winter. But this event was not a fun celebration like the ones we have here. That's why we let you stay at home," Effie explained.

"And it was about these games, right?" Daphne asked.

"Yes."

"The unfunny games, which made you all so upset, right?"

"Correct." Effie tried to keep her answers short. She was not ready to tell her daughters about the history she was part of.

"And these games are back, right?"

"Where is this coming from?" Effie asked; she could not make any sense of the interrogation of Daphne's part. She let go of Poppy and made her sit down next to her again, herself sitting a little straighter than before. She sensed that this was going to be an uncomfortable talk, having Poppy snuggled against her side seemed inappropriate.

"I'm not a little kid anymore, Mum. I can put two and two together."

"Well, Daphne, you're still only seven years old."

"I will turn eight soon, I go to school. I'm not a baby anymore. Not like her" Daphne pointed towards her sister.

"I'm not a baby. I will go to school soon. Tell her I'm not a baby, Mommy!" Poppy protested, tucking at Effie's arm.

"I'm afraid, my dear, you will always be my baby. The both of you," Effie told them, trying to sooth the bickering between the girls.

"Still, can we now know about them more? Since they are over." Daphne asked, shifting in her seat, getting clearly impatient.

Effie was taken by surprise, the words got stuck in her throat. She took a moment to recover, clearing her throat, making sure she would not get emotional while saying, "the games are not over yet."

"But you are back!" This time, Poppy objected. She wrinkled her nose just like Daphne had done before.

"We thankfully don't have to play a part in them. We were led off the hook."

"Who's in it then?" Daphne asked.

"You have to know that these games are not made for children." The words sounded dumb to her. a lie after all, but Daphne and Poppy did not need to know the ugly truth just yet. "These games are cruel and not made for children's eyes. Even me telling you about them is not right, but your classmates will sure talk about it and I want you to be prepared."

Effie tried her best explaining the Hunger Games to her girls without scaring them for life. She wanted to make sure they were aware of the fact how cruel and not right these games were. It was too easy to scare them, even the mention of blood made Poppy flinch. Effie explained how a bow Katniss brought to the woods or a simple knife in the kitchen could be used as a weapon on humans and how dangerous it was. She didn't tell them the people would die, but pointed out they would be badly injured.

"You will not watch even a second of these games. We don't watch people getting hurt. That is not right. You don't take pleasure out of somebody's pain," Effie told the girls, it felt like a big lecture she was giving them.

"Why would anyone watch that?" Poppy frowned, holding a hand before her face, trying to un-see the blood in her imagination, Effie supposed.

"Unfortunately, there are some people. But I won't, and the two of you won't."

"And daddy won't, right?"

"That you have to ask your father yourself," Effie answered. She didn't want to lie to the girls. It was Haymitch's business how he dealt with this or if he would deal with this at all.

To settle the talks about these games now once and for all, Effie decided to address one more issue concerning these games, "My dears, listen, I have to tell you one more thing about these games. Remember my friend Octavia who came to visit a few weeks ago. The one with purple hair and the very long eyelashes."

"Yeah, what about her?" Daphne asked.

"Will she come visit again?" Poppy's eyes lit up.

"I'm afraid she won't. Ever again, my dears. She's in the unfunny games, she will get hurt, badly." Effie choked up. She didn't know how to tell her girls that Octavia would die. She did not have the heart to do so, but she knew she had to. At least about this, she had to be honest with them. She would not tell them she was close at getting hurt in the games as well. That was something, which should be discussed at a different time.

"Did she know when she came to visit?"

"Yes," Effie managed to get out a whisper, nodding her head to make her answer clearer. She was fighting tears, but just thinking about it made her shed them.

"Oh, Mommy!" Poppy exclaimed when she saw the tears on Effie's cheek, wiping them away with her hand. "Don't cry."

The voice Poppy used on her was making Effie even more emotional. It was full of pity and true compassion. Effie hugged her girls one more time, and then made them stand up again, doing a few fun things before lunch, which they would all share together. Katniss and Peeta popped over to them, bringing Haymitch along.

Even though things were still odd and tense with Haymitch, she didn't let the awkwardness wash over the meal. She was good at pretending everything was OK and Daphne and Poppy were good at taking her thoughts elsewhere. It would be like one of those family dinners just like all the other family meals they had shared in the past. Poppy would entertain the table, Peeta joking with her, while Daphne would roll her eyes, but would eventually join the fun. Katniss would chuckle from time to time, eventually chiming in. Haymitch's part was usually to be grumpy and just observe. The strain between him and Effie would not be noticed.

As they sat down, Effie's predictions proved to be correct, the girls attracted everyone's attention, listening to their stories of the past days with Sae.

"So, did you enjoy it with Sae?" Peeta asked, trying to make sense of the wild talk Poppy and Daphne offered. It was a series of not so much related events they were telling.

"Yes," Poppy answered firmly, offering a smile.

"And you?" Peeta turned to Daphne, who shrugged at first.

"I'm glad you're all back," she replied. "Sae would not sit down when we eat. She was always doing something, preparing something, really restless. And then she would not let me have juice with the meals. She said it's too much sugar, but I always drink apple juice."

Daphne shook her head and reached for her juice sitting on the table. She took a dramatic sip of it and then followed along with her list of things Sae did not as she pleased. It was indeed a long list and once again it proved to Effie that Daphne did not adapt well to change. It was another reason why Effie was relieved the girls did not have to go through with dealing with losing their mother. She was glad she was still there with them, not putting them through the biggest change in their life.

"Was there anything you liked there at all?" Katniss asked eventually, not even hiding her chuckles.

"Her apple pie was actually pretty amazing," Daphne answered.

"It really was," Poppy interjected. "I'm sorry, Peeta."

"And here I am bringing apple pie for tea in the afternoon, and you two like somebody else's pie better than mine now?"

"We did not say we would not have a piece of that. Right, Poppy?" Daphne nudged her sister in the side.

"We can be persu-" Poppy stumbled over the word, and after her fourth attempt, Effie helped her out, by saying, "You two can be persuaded?"

"Yeah, we give your pie another chance."

"Lucky me," Peeta chuckled.

"I will have to pass on that though," Katniss said. "I'm gonna head over."

"Why? I thought we could go the woods in the afternoon," Daphne protested.

"Another time," Katniss replied, excusing herself from the table and making her way to the front door to cross the street to Peeta's and her house. Effie surely knew why she left the house, she wanted to watch some more of the games, having time to process the idea of them being back, which had destroyed her life for good. She still had troubles wrapping her head around the idea and the reaping reopened old sores.

Peeta, however, was happy to stay, keeping himself busy with the girls around. He and Effie were much alike, enjoying the happy children's voices around them. Haymitch was more like Katniss, coming up with a lame excuse to leave the house as well, something about checking with Sae or going to the market, Effie did not quite catch his words, he was leaving in a hurry. His eyes gave him away though, he would go make his way across the street to join Katniss and watch the developments on the Games as well.

When Effie brought the dirty dishes to the sink in the kitchen, she watched, as Haymitch didn't even bother knocking at Katniss' front door, entering the house. She tried not to feel hurt by his actions, it has his way of coping she told herself. Every one of them had a different way of dealing with the situation, but she did not approve of his.

She clicked her tongue in disapproval even though Haymitch could not hear it. She shook her head and tried to push the thoughts aside, the laughter from Poppy and Daphne helped her. They were her silver lining. The one thing that made her push from, keeping her sane in this extraordinary situation. And the prospect of having some tea and apple pie while sitting in the backyard and enjoying the summertime. She was alive against all odds, and that was what mattered in the end.

* * *

"Tell me, sweetheart, where does Peeta keep the rum?" Haymitch said, searching the shelves and cupboards in the living room.

"The rum?" Katniss asked, sitting on the couch. She had placed the feet in front of her, the knees pulled towards her; she was almost huddled up.

"I suppose you don't have any whisky, so where's the rum?" He answered, a little annoyed. Ever since the train yesterday, he had not had any alcohol and he felt the urge within him.

"Why would there be any rum?" Katniss frowned. She and Peeta did not drink much alcohol, especially since they had a sober alcoholic in the family and they did not want to tempt him.

"Peeta bakes. Don't bakers use rum sometimes? For baking?" He put emphasis on the last words.

"The baking stuff is the cupboard next to the fridge, have you tried there?" Katniss told him, not getting herself into an argument.

Haymitch made his way to the kitchen, opening the cupboard and behind some flour and sugar he indeed found a little bottle of rum, half empty, but it was better than nothing. He didn't even bother bringing a glass with him. He was sure the bottle would be empty soon.

He settled next to Katniss on the couch, looking at the TV in front of them. The interview had given before leaving the Capitol was replayed again. She had not bothered correcting the journalists, telling them she was no longer Effie Trinket. He scowled when he read her maiden name displayed on the screen.

"When did you start drinking again?" Katniss asked him suddenly. That question was bound to be asked.

"I have my way of coping, you have yours," he answered.

"Hiding from the world is not as bad as this," she pointed out.

"That's my business," he said as he twirled the bottle of rum like you would usually do it with a good glass of wine.

"I don't approve of this. And if Effie ever finds out I let you do this, she will kill me."

"Effie knows," he scowled. By the looks Effie had given him, there was no way she did not know how he handled the situation.

"And she approves?" Katniss arched an eyebrow.

"It's none of her business either." He snapped at her. He did not want to discuss his way of coping with the girl who hid from the world.

"Haymitch, this is not a good idea." Katniss reached for the bottle, but he whacked her hands away.

"I'm an adult, so leave me alone!" He barked at her. She fell silent.

"I can't watch you like this."

"You have to watch the games not me," he reminded her.

"I can't watch them either. I just want this to be over."

"It will be over. One last time."

"I can't. I don't know how."

"You never had to watch the Games, Katniss. You and Peeta are the only victors, who never had to watch them with the knowledge what it's like to be in them. We all found or ways of coping with them. You never had to chance to develop a routine, a coping mechanism. This will be hard, but you'll manage."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, and you only have to go through this mess one time. One last time and then it's over. I would give everything to un-see the cruelness of the 24 games I had to watch before this madness ended." He brought the bottle to his lips to take a sip of the rum.

He and Katniss did not say any more; both were too distracted by their own way of coping while keeping their eyes straight on the television. All the dirty background stories of the tributes were discussed and released, interviews of the tributes were shown. It was all displayed in tiny details, and Haymitch needed to know them all. He needed to get his hands on every single bit of information that was out there. It helped his processing.

"I think I will go to the woods," Katniss suddenly said, pulling Haymitch's attention away from the television. "I will do some hunting. I will take Daphne with me. She's eager to go, and I need someone there, someone who's innocent. She will keep me grounded."

"Sounds like a plan," Haymitch said, shooting a side-glare at Katniss. Her knees were not longer in front of her chest, but folded under her. She seemed more relaxed now that she decided to go to the woods. It was her coping mechanism.

Before Haymitch made his way home late in the night, Katniss asked, "how's Effie doing? She keeps an act up in front of the girls, but how is she?"

"She's alright," Haymitch answered, leaving fast so Katniss would have time to come up with a follow-up question. He did not want to deal with this before he had spoken with Effie about it. There were still things that needed to be discussed. A lot of issues were on their plate of unresolved issues.

When Haymitch got home, the lights in the living room were turned off, he assumed they would talk in the bedroom just like he had anticipated yesterday before the girls were intruding. He was surprised to find the bedroom empty, no sign of Effie, the bed nicely made.

His heart started to beat faster, his mouth dropping open. She was gone. He had not heard her downstairs, not in the living room, not in the kitchen making her some tea. His first instinct was to check the bathroom. The door was closed, she could be taking a shower, a bath or just brushing her teeth. But it was empty.

The situation felt far too familiar. It felt like a redo of the first night of finding out about the Games. He had awoken in the middle of the night without Effie being next to him. He had searched everywhere before finding her in the girls' bedroom. The girls were Effie's safe harbour, that's why he decided to go look there first.

However, Effie did not stand in the room watching the girls sleep. The actions were not meant to be repeated like two months ago. He would not be able to make his way up to her, wrapping his arms around her middle and whisper words of comfort into her ear. She was fast asleep in one of the girls' beds, both of their daughters wrapped around her, a book lying in her lap.

The talk they needed to share would have to wait another day, Haymitch mused, taking the book away. One more day would not do any harm.

* * *

Unfortunately, Haymitch was not right about this. The tension rose more with every minute they let pass these issues being unaddressed. They danced around each other, groaning, moaning, shooting glares at each other, and disapproving of everything the other did. The tension was unbearable, and the inevitable had to happen, the tension unloaded in a big fall-out as Katniss was out with Daphne in the woods and Peeta had taken Poppy over for some baking. It was the first time, Effie and Haymitch were alone in the house ever since they arrived back in Twelve, and soon the accusations, which they had held back all this time were spoken out loud.

"You drink again, right?" Effie asked, but there was no response coming from Haymitch. It was answer enough for her. "I asked you to stay sober and then you turn on me at the first possible moment. You don't care about the vow you made to me, do you? It's engraved on that ring of yours. 'I like you better sober'. And you step on it with your feet! You have no idea how this feels like. You betrayed me!"

"Wanna talk about betrayal? Let's discuss how you decided to go and kill yourself? I asked you to stay alive. You were safe, for Panem's sake! And out of a whim, you decide to volunteer for Junia Flickerman? Are you serious? You don't even know her that well!" Haymitch yelled at her.

However, he was not the only one, who could yell. Effie snapped back, "I knew well enough that she was not supposed to be in these Games, it was me. I was supposed to be there, but I escaped death's hands. I had to redo this mistake, I was supposed to be in there, I was supposed to die, not her."

"That was not part of our deal. You said you would stay alive, fight to be alive, but you gave up. Decided that you wanted a chance of dying instead of living. Here. With your family."

Effie shook her head. Her decision to volunteer did not mean she did not want to live here with her family anymore. She was not getting herself killed, she was just undoing the injustice happening right in front of her. "You're missing the point."

"What point? You were about to commit suicide?"

"I did no such thing!"

"By volunteering you did. You turned your back on all of us. Making it clear where your priorities lie."

"I forbid you to talk to me like that. Especially, since I'm still here. I am alive." Effie paused to make a dramatic, her words echoing through the room. "My plan to kill myself as you like to put it did not work out, did it? However, you still decided to go make the years of sobriety a waste. You went behind my back, pretending everything was alright, like I would not notice you were drinking again."

"You can't expect me to not long for a drink while we are in this extraordinary situation."

"Long for it, yes. But actually have some, no. These are entirely different things. I told you I would not let you near the girls when you're drunk. You are aware of that?"

"I'm not drunk," he growled.

"You drank, which makes you drunk," Effie pointed out. There was not a difference with him. A sober alcoholic, who had some alcohol should be considered drunk in Effie's opinion. It made no difference if he had a sip, a glass or the whole bottle. A relapse was a relapse.

"I'm not wasted. I'm still in control."

"Nonsense," she snapped back at him, clicking her tongue in disapproval.

"I know where my limits are."

"You did not before, what has changed?" Effie said. "I tell you what; nothing has changed. You're still a liar, right? You were checking on Sae, going to market earlier? How stupid do you think I am? Lying to my face about your whereabouts so you can have a drink in peace!"

"So what? You knew anyway what's the deal?"

"The deal is that you broke your promise to me. The vow that's engraved on your wedding ring!"

"So, did you! And so what? We both broke our promise. We are both liars. That's what we do to each other; lie each other in the face. It's always been this way. A stupid vow doesn't change anything."

Effie looked at him, finally, he was telling her about his thoughts. "That's what this marriage is to you? A stupid vow?"

"It's not more to you either, Effie Trinket. Why did you not correct those paparazzi? You did not even flinch when they called you Miss Trinket."

"I am Effie Trinket, I can't deny that."

"Why did you not correct them and told them you are Effie Abernathy now?"

"Because I was not Effie Abernathy anymore," she answered. "Not after the way you acted when I came back to you. When we knew I survived the reaping. Why didn't you hug me? Why didn't you even smile? Are you not happy that I'm alive? You made it look like you were unhappy that I was alive? Did you want me to be dead?"

"I-" Haymitch was not able to say more. His voice broke. He looked at the ground.

Effie interpreted his inability to argue back that she hit the truth with her assumptions. It was hard to process, but she was able to say some more, she tried to verbalise his thoughts, to help him out, to make things clear between them. "You did? You wanted me to be dead? You were disappointed that I survived this? Weren't you?"

"I-" He swallowed. "I did this because you chose to volunteer. You were safe, but volunteered nevertheless!"

"So, I started all of this?" The tears were creeping up on her. Her voice was higher than usual "Is that what you are saying? But I won't take the blame for this. I was not the decisive vote for this cruelness of Games."

"Don't go there. Just, don't!" Haymitch barked.

"Is that why you're drinking?"

"Don't!" He yelled at her, so loud, the words cutting through the room, making her silent, making them linger in the silence for a moment, it gave them time to process, to make up their mind.

However, it also granted her time to become emotional too, the tears had filled her eyes for good, she was about to shed them, but then she decided against giving into them, and said instead, "You know what's the worst things about this? You kept your drinking a secret. You lied to my face. I know alcoholism is part of you, but that you don't even have the courage to tell me that you relapsed that's what I can't take. I don't like being lied to and I have to question all of you. Are there any other things you lied to me about?"

Haymitch remained silent.

"Do you even love me?" Effie asked just above a whisper. The tears had escaped her eyes, rolling down her cheek. She watched Haymitch struggle, but he won't look up to her, he wouldn't meet her gaze.

All he could articulate was an "Eff", but then his voice broke again.

"It was a lie? Wasn't it?" Effie said and brushed away her tears. "An act to keep the dying one sane and happy? Right? That was not true at all?"

She asked him one question after the other, but not even one made him react. All he did was to bury his hands in his pockets. Effie bit her lip, waited for him to speak, but there was nothing. That's what made her question all of it. "Was anything you said in the last two months real or just a way to make peace with me? Better let me die happy with everything I have than being honest with me? And now you've gotten yourself into a situation you don't want to be in. We are married, something you would have never done voluntarily, something that has never ever crossed your mind."

He didn't answer her. He didn't scowl at her telling her she was wrong with her assumptions. She took his silence as his agreement. She was right with every word she had spoken. The marriage was not real. It did not involve his true feelings for her. It was just something he followed along because she was meant to be dead and you could not turn down the request of a dying person. It was unfair to him if she would bind him to this

"I'll make it easy for you. We'll let the marriage get annulled, I was not thinking straight when we got married. I thought I would be dead soon and pressured you into the marriage, which doesn't make it a legal marriage. We'll make this undone. And if we don't get through with the annulment, we'll just file for a divorce. That's alright."

"Eff," he finally managed to say something, but it was a little too late because she cut him off.

"No, it's fine. Really. A lot of people are divorced nowadays; it's not a shame or anything. Most people asked if I was crazy to build a life with you anyway and they have been right after all. You are not meant to be in a relationship. You're not reliable, as we both see with the relapse. You should not be around the girls like this. I can't let you be around them. I have to protect them."

The girls were always Effie's first priority. As soon as she learned she was pregnant with Daphne, her actions had revolved around the baby's well-being. "Don't worry, you don't have to find a new house. This is yours, I know. The girls and I will move out soon, I promise. I just have to make up my mind where we'll go. There are so many options though and I want to make one final good decision about this. I don't want the girls to move back and forth until I find something new."

Effie did not know where these well-reflected thoughts were coming from; she war surprised with herself. Maybe, deep down, she always knew Haymitch was not set out to have a family and this was only temporary. She had to have a backup plan. After ten years, she had to follow that along.

"We'll have to be civil about this, make this change as easy as possible for the girls. You know Daphne, she won't be happy about this; she will have a hard time. So will Poppy; she loves you so much. They both do." Effie closed her eyes. She could not imagine Daphne and Poppy's reaction to the divorce, to the change of address. In the end, though, it was better than losing one of their parents for good. They would survive this. They all would survive this. They would not be the first couple, who would split up.

There was nothing left to say, the decision was final, the details could be hashed out later. For now, all that Effie wanted was some peace to digest it. The last two months had been one big roller coaster and the world kept spinning and spinning, faster and faster, offering her a new surprise around each corner. She was home, safe from the Hunger Games, but she was far from being happy.

* * *

 _Hey, I'm back! There's only one more chapter and I have troubles wrapping this story up. I can't let go of it. I love my little Poppy and Daphne too much and saying goodbye is especially hard for me. I promise though I will finish this, we're so close. Stay tuned, and see you hopefully all very soon._


	16. Another Sunday

_Are you ready for the last chapter? I'm not, but here we go anyway. Enjoy it!_

* * *

 **Sixteenth Chapter: Another Sunday**

The days passed by without any discussion between Haymitch and Effie. They avoided each other at all costs. The girls sought Effie's attention anyway, while Haymitch spent all his free time in front of the television, following the events of the last Hunger Games. The interviews were given, and the scores published. Like expected, Traian had the highest score, Katniss was right, he was Victor's material, even the rebels' game makers recognized that. Junia Flickerman, the girl Effie had volunteered for, had the lowest score over all, apparently, the fear overshadowed her abilities. Octavia scored a solid 7, so did Flavius. Just like Haymitch had suspected the ones who used to be involved in the Games scored rather well, after all, they knew the Games well.

The scores, however, did not count in the end. Too often did Haymitch have to watch kids with a great score of ten or eleven getting killed. A good score did not mean anything, not with the unpredictability of the Games. That was the only one true law of the Hunger Games. Anything could happen. The odds were not usually in their favour.

On the day of the beginning of the Games, they were sitting together for a brunch; one last meal in peace, but it didn't feel peaceful at all, too forced. Haymitch was uneasy, longing for a drink, tapping his fingers against any flat surface within reach; the need for a drink was greater than ever, tapping his fingers was soothing his nerves a little. It acted like an outlet. He was not the only one on the edge; all of them were.

Katniss was shifting uncomfortably in her seat, while Peeta's eyes shifted from one corner to the other, probably fighting an episode, while Effie's voice was a bit too cheerful for Haymitch's taste. He caught himself tapping against the glass in front of him. Time needed to past faster, it should already be twelve, and not 10 to 11. The Games should already start. Starting, however, was not enough; they should be over, not even making their way back into their lives. They had ruined so much for them. Once the Games were gone for good this time around, they could resume their normal lives again.

A normal life. Haymitch had no clue what that entailed. Not with the fallout Effie and he had shared a couple of days ago. Not with the words, which had been exchanged. Not with what she had asked him for.

A divorce. Haymitch cringed whenever he heard that word. Marriage had never been on his agenda in the first place; that was true, but about divorce, he had thought of even less.

For four weeks, that golden ring had been sitting on his finger of his left hand; yet he would grant Effie what she wanted. There was no use in arguing, not when her mind was set. What Effie wanted, Effie got. It was always like that.

Even the children seemed to know that because when the clock finally came close twelve, Katniss and he excused themselves, leaving the table and the house. Effie followed them, but held Katniss back, asking her, "Katniss, dear, would you do me a favour?"

The words made him curious, so Haymitch turned his head to watch Effie and Katniss standing at the front door. Effie had her hand on Katniss' forearm, who in return nodded. Turning down one of Effie's requests was not easy.

Quickly, Effie added, just above a whisper, so the girls would not hear her, "I don't want to hear anything about those Games, not the slightest bit, just like Peeta, but could you possibly tell me who won? I don't need details on how. I certainly don't want to know when Octavia or Junia have died. I don't want to be involved in this, but as soon as there is a victor, let me know. It doesn't matter what time it is, I need to know when it's over."

Katniss didn't object anything to that, she nodded again, and took Effie's words in. There was nothing to object to everyone's way of coping. Katniss needed to watch the Games, every single bit, even if it meant to hurt herself with doing so. Peeta, on the other hand, refused to even hear anything about these games, too scared it would trigger something. So often in the past, Effie acted like Peeta and Haymitch acted like Katniss, they were much alike. It was no surprise that Effie handled the last ever Hunger Games similar to Peeta and Haymitch thought his way of coping matched Katniss' style.

However, the longer the Games carried along, the harder it was to watch. He hadn't watched anything as cruel as this for the last decade. With the end of the war, the cruelness was left behind him. He cringed whenever there was a death; he closed his eyes, not being able to watch how these Capitol people were acting just like district kids.

In general, there was more plotting this time around though, and allies were more important than ever. He was not surprised to see Traian assembling the most powerful allies, but also Octavia. Effie's allies were his allies after all.

Unlike the young bloodthirsty kids, most of the grown-ups rather wanted to survive; they all had trained survival skills best and the longest. There were only a few crazy ones, desperate people, who attacked others as soon as they got a weapon in their hands, but Traian and his pack took care of those. That way, the little ones, the ones, who wanted to run away anyway, could escape. So did Junia Flickerman or Celestia Snow. These young girls would not stand a chance in Haymitch's opinion, they were too young, too weak, and not Victor's material.

They reminded him of the twelve-year-old girls, who had been forced to join the Games. The ones everybody knew wouldn't make it. The girls like Rue, the girls like Prim, the girls like Daphne and Poppy.

It was his need to see his daughters again, which made him leave earlier on the third day. He couldn't watch the Games day-in and day-out anymore. It was not his way of coping, not 24-7; he needed a break. The cruelness of it would carry on without him, and Katniss would be able to fill him in later.

"Daddy!" Poppy gasped when Haymitch entered the living room. Her voice was cheerful, a smile on her face. It instantly lifted his spirits, after all these horrible pictures of the Games, seeing Poppy's face lit up was a nice change.

"Hey, sweetheart." Haymitch made his way to the edge of the couch. Poppy was in the habit of jumping on furniture when she was happy. She wouldn't mind her step when jumping and Haymitch was afraid she might fall over. He was right after all, as soon as he was within reach, Poppy jumped to her feet, hugging him around his middle.

"We started watching the movie without you," Poppy said, giving away what was obviously happening in the living room right now. The TV was on; the three girls were on the couch. Effie was sitting in the middle of it, each of their daughters to one of her sides. While Poppy had been sitting, Daphne was lying across almost two seats, her head on Effie's lap, while Effie went with her fingers through her hair. Daphne's long blond hair was sprawled across Effie's lap and covered her thighs completely.

"Sssssh, Poppy, I want to watch this," Daphne moaned, rolling her eyes. And then she added quickly, a small smile on her face, "Hi, Dad."

"Come sit with us, Daddy, I can tell you all about the movie," Poppy said, reaching for his hands, trying to drag him down on the couch, but there was only a small space between the armrest and Effie, who didn't move, still watching the movie. Sitting so close to her didn't feel right; he didn't want to intrude or overstep boundaries she had clearly set. Daphne didn't seem like moving either, lying comfortably over the two seats.

Haymitch decided to sit in the big armchair, keeping his distance from Effie, but at the same time, being close to his family. It helped him forget the cruelness of the Games, when watching them peacefully sitting there in the living room. Eventually, Poppy ended up sitting on his lap. She had missed him, telling him over and over again, which made Daphne moan again, lecturing her younger sister to remain silent. Poppy shot back a comment in return, and some hissing was exchanged.

Usually, Effie would go between, but she remained quiet, which left Haymitch to do the lecturing. "Enough, girls, let's watch the movie in peace."

To his surprise, the girls listened to him, not giving in to any more banter, probably because they hadn't seen much of him. They even managed to persuade him to read them a good night story and coaxed him into cuddling. Haymitch obeyed; the body contact felt good, and as Poppy fell finally asleep next to him, her breathing flattening out, he caught Effie standing at the door to the girls' bedroom, leaning against the door frame.

Carefully, he detached himself from Poppy's grip, and went over to Daphne's bed to put the blanket over her chest; he couldn't resist bringing his fingers through her hair, giving in to his soft side. The girls brought that out so often. Then, he stepped up to Effie, who whispered, "We should talk."

Haymitch agreed, serious talking usually took place in the kitchen, where they were both sitting with a steaming cup of tea in front of them. Tea didn't suit serious talks like this, but it was far too late for coffee.

"We should discuss sleeping arrangements," Effie said. The last days, Haymitch had spent at Katniss' couch, not even checking once with the girls. Haymitch was not sure Effie would have let him near them anyway since he had some alcohol. That was why they never had a chance to discuss sleeping arrangements, simply because he had not slept in the house. "Would you mind sleeping on the couch for the time being? It feels odd sleeping in the same bed now that we've separated, and I can't come up with another excuse to sleep in one of the girl's beds."

That was where she had spent her nights, now Haymitch knew. He nodded, and let her have her will. Again, there was no use in arguing, when her mind seemed set.

She also approached him about plans of moving out. Once the Games were over, they could tell the children, all four them. Effie didn't want to add any more stress to Katniss or Peeta. Once the Games were history, they could come clean with them, in the meantime, they could prepare themselves for the outcome and come up with answers to all the questions the children would ask.

Haymitch didn't respond much to the words she uttered, the plans she had in mind. He let it happen, watched her talking about the future, in which he wouldn't be able to see the girls every day anymore. Effie was thinking of moving to Four. She would be closer to Annie and Jo. The girls would definitely enjoy having Johanna around them, Haymitch agreed, but he didn't point out that it would be cruel to take the girls away from their familiar environment.

It would take a long time to adjust to the new arrangement, but he was sure the girls would be all right. They would come to visit during the school breaks, and he would call them all the time. It would somehow work; it always worked itself out.

So, he acknowledged whatever she said and suggested. Her mind seemed set, too set to fight it, and Haymitch was not in the mood to fight since he had watched people fighting for three days straight. There was no energy left to fight himself; he longed for peace. And if making that request possible granted him peace, he was willing to give in, to agree with whatever she asked.

There were no more words spoken in the next days, they avoided each other as well as they could. With Haymitch at Katniss' watching the Games, it was a rather easy task. However, watching the Games became harder and harder with each passing day, especially since Haymitch knew his personal nightmare, being parted from his family, would come true once the Games were over. The more the number of tributes declined, the uneasier he got. The alcohol didn't seem to help to soothe his nerves anymore. Quite in contrary, he was nearing the edge with each passing minute and the alcohol getting into his system. He stopped eventually, but he still felt uncomfortable.

The frown on his face deepened whenever the Games hit another critical point. It was exciting; the government had not been lying when they said these games were going to be the ultimate Hunger Games. They were not skimping on special features. Panem's population was entertained, Haymitch was sure, but he didn't feel any entertainment, not the slightest bit.

The Games didn't bring any kind of satisfaction to him. Seeing the people suffer who were responsible for the Games in the first place, didn't bring him any kind of pleasure or content. He felt disgust. He was disgusted with himself by supporting the Games.

When another tribute died, another big one, he couldn't take it any longer, he got off the couch, and left Katniss alone in the living room.

"Where are you going?" She yelled after him.

"Away," he grunted, not giving any more explanation. His hands were formed into fists, which started to tremble as he walked. He didn't know whether it was the withdrawals he suffered from because he had not touched alcohol in a day or two or because he was feeling so angry with himself and the world.

He took big strides across the street. He wanted to escape this madness; he couldn't take it any longer; he needed peace. He needed happiness, which he thought he could find with the girls next door, but the girls weren't there. He looked in the backyard; he looked in the living room and their room upstairs. The longer he looked for them, the more he got worried, working him up in some kind of state, which ended with him standing the kitchen, taking deep breaths, not sure what do next, but there was no need for him to decide because suddenly Effie asked with a shrill voice, "What are you doing here?"

Haymitch startled at first, "I-" He shook his head and brought a hand up to rub his neck. "I can't watch them anymore," he confessed at last.

"But-" Effie frowned, but he cut her off. Haymitch didn't need any of her counter-arguments. No more fights, no more. He wanted it to stop.

"I just can't, sweetheart. I can't!" He shot back, raising his voice.

For a second Effie remained silent, not saying a word, but then she finally said with a soft voice, the one she used so often on the girls, "What happened?"

He didn't know a good way to break the news to her, there was no easy way, there was no way to sugarcoat it. He licked his lips and said, "Traian died."

All Haymitch could hear was Effie gasping, and then he added while meeting her gaze, "Traian died because he saved Junia Flickerman."

There were tears in Effie's eyes, Haymitch was sure. Her eyes glistened in the light, which they only did when there were tears. She held a hand in front of her mouth, a sign she was trying not to give in to the tears, holding them back, holding back any sadness she might feel right now.

"You were right, Eff," Haymitch said. "With Junia being helpless. With Traian being a good ally. He was your ally even though you were not in the arena."

"Stop," Effie said; her hand was no longer in front of her mouth, but she had both her arms wrapped around herself. "I don't want to hear about this."

"I'm sorry," Haymitch sighed, shaking his head again. He was sorry for so many things, he didn't know what he was apologising for.

He also didn't know what prompted him to step up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. Before he knew it, she was pressed against his chest, her arms around his neck, drawing him into a hug. "It's not your fault," she whispered against his neck, which brought a shiver down his back.

It was good to have her in his arms, safe in his arms. It was the kind of comfort he had sought in the first place. And because old habits died hard, he coiled a hand around her nape, drawing her a little tighter against him.

Everything they had been fighting about and everything, which was not right between them, seemed far away at the moment, not important anymore. All the mattered was them giving comfort to one another, being there for each other. The grudges they might be holding against each other were forgotten, not relevant. There were far worse things out in the world than their disagreements.

Placing a hand on her shoulder had been a small gesture, but it was enough for them to fall back into old routines. They needed each other's comfort. They fell back into the affection they felt for each other, breaking through the pent-up tension. They had not touched since the day of the Reaping, which was so long ago. They had always been physical when it came to their relationship. They needed the body contact. Showing Effie how he felt was always so much easier than telling her.

Because he had no clue what to do, how to calm her, he placed a kiss on her head, lingering there longer than necessary, but it felt good. It felt like the only right thing to do in this situation. And it seemed to do the trick; she stopped crying and lifted her head to meet his gaze again. He was not sure what exactly he saw in her eyes, but he was certain it was no longer the hurt he had seen a week ago.

There was still tension between them. There was tension all around them. Haymitch and Effie were not the only ones being tense and uneasy, but also Katniss, who needed to be forced to eat and drink while watching the Games, and Peeta, who refused to give in to dark thoughts of the pasts, occupying himself with work at the bakery or the girls. As long as the Games were not over, there were pitfalls all around them, waiting for them to blow everything up.

It was one afternoon, the Games had already been going on for ten days, that Peeta approached Haymitch. The girls were playing outside, and Effie was in town, getting some groceries.

"I can't tiptoe around this any longer. I can't watch it anymore. Effie and you are acting weird. Is everything OK between the two of you?" Peeta asked, biting down on his lip afterward.

"This whole situation is weird," Haymitch answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"I feel like you two don't handle it well. The drinking-" Peeta said, but Haymitch cut him off, "I stopped again!"

"Still, you started. Katniss said you drank awfully much."

"When did you talk to Katniss anyway?" Haymitch hissed. The children had not seen much of each other ever since Katniss had decided to spend the time locked in their living room.

"That doesn't need to concern you."

"And my relationship does concern you?" Haymitch narrowed his eyes at him.

Peeta shook his head, but carried on, "I'm worried."

"There's no need."

Haymitch thought they were done, but then Peeta asked, "What did you expect?"

"What?" Haymitch didn't understand what Peeta was referring to.

Peeta sighed, and then said, "Effie knew she would die. She never doubted that; it was crystal clear to her. She talked herself into believing that in some way she deserved to be in the Games. That's why she struggles to be back. Katniss thought Effie would come back. She never once thought Effie wouldn't come back as a victor if she would get chosen. When Katniss saw the other tributes, and how well trained they were, Katniss realised Effie wouldn't stand a chance. Her world crashed when Effie volunteered. She realised how close she was to lose another loved-one."

For a moment, Peeta paused, taking deep breaths, collecting himself, but he carried on, "I was preparing myself to lose her, but deep-down I held on to the idea of her not getting chosen. Stupid, I know, but I was prepared; I said my goodbye. I was capable of letting her go, at least, I think so. But what did you think?"

It was the first time, Haymitch heard those thoughts spoken out loud, the truth being revealed and shovelled into his face. He had no clue what he thought, the events happened so fast, there was no time to think properly, he was set on preparing Effie the best way he could.

"That's the thing," Peeta said, when Haymitch didn't respond quickly enough. "You didn't think anything. You just went along with everything, taking it one day at a time, that's not a bad thing, but-" Peeta stopped, and proceeded with a different thought, "You haven't thought about a time after the Games, have you?"

Haymitch's heart was racing, right up to his throat. What Peeta said, what Peeta accused him off sounded similar to what Effie had said to him during their big fallout. He clenched his jaw, thinking how to get back to Peeta. He didn't like that the boy tried to intrude.

When Haymitch was about to bark at him, he heard the door being opened and the loud clicking of heels on the hard wooden floor. Effie was back home, he instantly recognized her by the way she walked.

"Peeta," she said; her high voice dragged across the kitchen. She put her bags on the table and then stepped up next to Peeta, whose shoulder she squeezed for a moment. "What a nice surprise."

Then Effie went to greet Haymitch, walking to Haymitch. Her right hand came to rest on his chest; she needed it for supporting herself when she stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss to Haymitch's lips. Nothing too tender or intimate, it was just a quick kiss to say hello. Still, it made Haymitch smile, partly because the confused look on Peeta's face amused him.

Even Effie realised Peeta's look and addressed it after letting go of Haymitch, "Is everything alright, dear?"

Peeta was not able to respond in proper sentences, a frown was forming on his forehead.

"He approached me because he thought you and I were having problems," Haymitch told Effie, bringing his hand to the small of her back instantly. It was a way to soothe her nerves, to make her relax and not throw a fit about the fact that apparently, Peeta had noticed something had been off between them. "Told him it was nonsense."

The way Effie laughed at that did not sound too natural, but it was convincing enough to make Peeta's frown soften. She added, "There's no need for you to worry, Peeta. We appreciate it, but Haymitch and I are perfectly fine. Of course, we argue, more than most people probably, but we always make up."

Effie shot Haymitch a side-glance, which prompted Haymitch to pull her against his side to make a point to Peeta, who asked, "Even with the drinking?"

"We have that under control," Effie assured him with a strict tone in her voice, which indicated there should not be more discussion about this. After the exchange of some more pleasantries, Peeta left the house, leaving Effie and Haymitch behind.

Haymitch let go off Effie, sighing deeply, going with his fingers through his hair.

"What did he say?" Effie asked, making her way to the bags of the groceries, which needed to be stored away.

Haymitch grimaced, but stepped up next to Effie to help her. "He told me what was going on in everyone's head."

Now, Effie sighed. "Anything you didn't know?"

"You're struggling?" He narrowed his eyes at her, taking the milk she was holding out of her hands.

"I do," Effie shrugged. "But we all do, don't we?"

The situation had been overwhelming, a lot of little things had led them to the big fallout, which had caused so many problems. They had reconciled, they had talked it out, they were in a good place again, but the situation still felt bizarre and at times overwhelming, which made acting reasonable harder than usual. "We do," he admitted, acknowledging a weak point was never easy, but it needed to be done.

"We talked it out, Haymitch. I understand that I hurt you by volunteering; I understand that I did the wrong thing. That Junia might be a lost cause and not my responsibility. Saving her won't make up for all the kids I helped kill in the arena," Effie said, but then her voice broke. She looked at the ground, which made a strand of hair fall in front of her face.

Haymitch tugged it back behind her ear; his fingertips brushing over her cheek softly. It gave her the strength to carry on, "I understand that my behaviour added to your stress, and maybe I even pushed you into drinking, but you should have come to me, talked to me about the urge to drink. I would have shown you the letters I wrote to you, once I would be gone. I knew you would drink. I felt in my bones."

Effie lifted her head to meet his gaze; she added quietly, "I know you very well after all."

She did and Haymitch would never doubt that again, but his next task she couldn't predict even though she had known him for years. She gasped when in a matter of seconds, he had put the milk in his hands aside and swept her up in his arms, embracing her tightly, pressing his lips eagerly on hers. He cradled her head between his hands, deepening the kiss while pushing her against the kitchen counter. The spark of passion faded out, and it dragged into a softer kiss, which was still full of emotion.

"I need you more than alcohol," Haymitch confessed after he stopped kissing her, his forehead rested against hers; he was taking deep breaths. "Way more than alcohol. I thought I lost you after the Reaping, after you volunteered, and I tried to fill the void with alcohol, but it didn't compare. I need you. Only you."

"Oh, Haymitch," Effie sighed, seeking the softness of his lips again.

"Never ever think that you're not what I want," Haymitch told her, "Never ever believe I don't want to live the life we built together. Never ever think that I went along with something. You're not the convenient solution. You're nothing but convenient, damn it, you're the most difficult person I know."

"Ruffian," she moaned, whacking his upper arm, playfully.

"Making you my wife was a formality. You've been my wife for years," he said, looking her straight in the eye. He liked what effect that kind of words had on her. A smile was spreading, her eyes twinkled in both amusement and affection.

"Be careful, this sounds like a love declaration," she teased.

"Something like that," Haymitch grunted.

"I love you," she said at last, to which Haymitch responded by kissing her again. He couldn't keep his lips from hers when they were alone. Making up for the past week, in which they had no opportunity to celebrate her survival properly.

The upset stomach Effie had been suffering from in the last days made it difficult though. The nausea was caused by the stress she had been going through. At least, that was what she claimed it to be.

Effie ended the kiss, and pushed Haymitch a little away, her hands coming to rest on her stomach, which made Haymitch frown "Your stomach is still upset?" He asked.

"Unfortunately," Effie sighed. "I think it will calm down once everything's over."

"Are you sure it's only the Games?" Haymitch asked, raising an eyebrow, remembering a time when nausea was part of their routine.

However, before Effie could answer, they heard loud footsteps approaching them and two high-pitched voices dragging toward them. The girls were storming into the kitchen, interrupting the moment Haymitch and Effie were sharing with each other.

"Mum, can we finally go tree climbing?" Daphne asked, her smile was even a little wider than in the morning when Effie had told her she would take Poppy and her out to the woods today.

"We still have to store away the groceries, my dear," Effie said, pointing with her right hand to the bags on the kitchen counter, while her left hand stayed on her stomach.

"If you help, we'll be quicker," Haymitch said, reaching for the milk carton again.

His suggestion fell on deaf ears because once Poppy spotted the milk in Haymitch's hand, she gasped, "Are we having some cocoa?"

Haymitch looked at Effie, raising an eyebrow. For a second Effie bit her lip, but then said, "I wouldn't mind a cup of tea."

A hot cup of tea seemed to settle her stomach well, and while Effie and Poppy prepared the drinks, cocoas for the girls, and two cups of tea for Effie and him, Haymitch stored the groceries away with the help of Daphne.

Soon, however, they were sitting around the kitchen table, enjoying their hot beverages, and some pastries Peeta had left with them. A snack before their trip to the woods would do them good. They engaged over easy talks with the girls, listening to Poppy's stories of monsters and Daphne's eagerness to climb trees.

When Daphne reached for her second piece of pastry, Effie gulped and then said in her lecturing tone, "Daphne, what I have told you about the bracelets we brought you?"

Daphne pouted, looked at the golden bracelet with awe, and twisted it around her wrist. She said, "it's so pretty, I have to wear it."

"Not when you're outside playing, you could break it. And then there will be tears," Effie told her, reaching next to her to help Daphne unclasp the bracelet. "When you have something precious you really like, you have to take care of it."

It caused a scene, but Haymitch didn't mind the little drama in his life. It was a drama he was willing to go through. Daphne was a strong-willed girl and caused ever so often trouble, shaking her blond curls and driving Effie crazy. Poppy was easier, yet with her cheek-ish smile, Haymitch never knew what was really going on in her head.

When Haymitch noticed, Poppy did not take as much pleasure out of the lecturing Daphne received from their mother as she usually did, he paid closer attention to her and recognized something golden around her wrist too. She had placed her hands on her lap, under the table so Effie wouldn't see.

"Hand me the bracelet," Haymitch whispered to Poppy, holding up a hand in her direction. Reluctantly, she gave it to him. It didn't go unnoticed by Effie, but soon the incident was forgotten and the day could be spent in the woods climbing trees or whatever they felt like doing. As long it was a fun game, and not the Hunger Games.

The next days were spent as normally as they could, Haymitch was eager to engage in family stuff just like they had done before that Sunday almost three months ago had put everything upside-down. Their reading in bed on a late Sunday afternoon got restored, and Haymitch could not be happier than listening to Effie's voice or Daphne's attempts to read. Their voices lulled him to sleep. He was lying on his side, with a hand trapped over the girls' legs. In his corner of the world, nothing bad could happen, his family was safe just like they had been in the last years.

When the bedroom door got opened with a loud bang again, he sat up instantly, and put his arm in front of the girls in protection. Again, it was Katniss intruding like three months ago, heavily panting; Peeta was close behind.

"What is wrong with the two of you for fuck's sake?" Haymitch barked at them. He did not like being interrupted like this.

"Haymitch, not in front of the girls," Effie hissed. She had placed her hands over their ears, but they giggled nevertheless, shooting Haymitch a glare, to which he only responded by rolling his eyes.

The situation felt like a redo of the incident three months ago; Haymitch groaned and brought his attention back to Katniss and Peeta. While Peeta was shaking, Katniss face was straight like the one from a statue.

"Speak," Haymitch demanded of them, when they didn't come forward.

"They are over," Peeta said, his voice weak.

"Finally," Effie sighed softly, closing her eyes, bringing the girls closer to her. She was obviously relieved, Haymitch was too, his shoulders fell limp.

"And?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Katniss stirred nervously, bringing her hands around herself, but then she said while looking straight at Effie, "You won."

It made Haymitch frown, and after a few moments, he understood what Katniss was referring to. The bet. Katniss and Effie had a bet going on, Katniss' candidate, Traian, had died, but Celestia Snow had been still alive the last time he had seen the Games. Effie had been right after all. And yet again Effie succeeded winning a bet against Katniss, like she always did.

He looked at Effie, who could not believe it herself. Her mouth was dropped open, the disbelief was written all over her face. The girls were stirring under her grip, which was far too close and protective, but he couldn't blame her. He had acted like her before.

There was a silence hovering over the room, which only Daphne was able to break through by saying between a cough or two, "Mum, are we done with the reading lesson?"

Immediately, Effie let go of the girls, bringing a hand to her mouth and getting off the bed, making her way to the bathroom. A worried look washed over the four children's faces, but Haymitch calmed them down, "No need to worry, it's just her nerves, making her sick."

Haymitch asked Katniss and Peeta to take the girls downstairs, doing some explanation or keeping them occupied for now. Then, he looked after Effie, who was throwing up, kneeling by the toilet. "Sweetheart," he sighed, reaching out for her hair to hold back.

"It's good news," Effie managed to say eventually, meeting his gaze. "It's really good news."

It was no good news for Flavius, Octavia, or Junia Flickerman. The only good news about this was that it was over. All of it. They could move on, for good, never ever waste a thought on the Games, and what they caused.

This Sunday would yet again go down in history.

 **THE END**

* * *

 _I can't believe this story is over. Exactly a year ago, I started this journey and I want to thank everyone, who stuck with me throughout. I hope you enjoyed this. If you had only half the fun, which I had with writing the story and daydreaming about little Poppy and Daphne, you had a blast._

 _Please, let me know what you think, I'm curious. Let me know what you liked, what was your favourite part. Anything that is on your mind is welcome. You would make my day. (:_

 _My favourite chapter is certainly "Rings", I love the happy moments in it, which get more serious with the Hunger Games approaching so soon. I love the lightness Poppy and Daphne bring to every chapter they are in. I love those two girls to pieces and I won't ever be able to accept any other little hayffie-girls than these two._

 _I'm more than thrilled to see those two words on the end of this story, which indicate an ending, a proper ending, which is also a happy ending. I would have never dared to kill off my dear Effie, and I hope you liked that too._

 _So, all that is left to say is thank-you one last time for your time and patience with this story, I had my ups and downs, but I'm glad I got to finish it._


End file.
